Tragic Past
by bobbiejod
Summary: A traumatic event happened in Chandler's childhood that he's never told the others about. Something happens and the others find out. How will everyone react? Epilogue is up!
1. Chapter 1

**Summary:** A traumatic event happened in Chandler's childhood that he's never told anyone. But something happens that forces him to tell them. Monica and Chandler are together. Joey knows about them, but no one else does.

**AN: **Repost. Tell me if this is better than the original.

**Disclaimer: **I own no one. They all belong to Bright/Kauffman/Crane.

**Chapter 1**

Chandler Bing got off work and walked into his apartment. He saw Joey and Ross playing a foosball game. They were so engrossed in their game that they didn't see him come in. He spotted the mail sitting on the counter and started flipping through it.

"Hey, guys." he greeted them.

"Oh, hey." Ross looked at him briefly before turning back to the game.

"Dude, you'll never guess what I got." Joey glanced at him. "Three tickets for the Knicks game tonight."

"That's great, man." Chandler smiled as he spotted an official-looking letter and opened it. He read through it and his smile faded. It felt as if his heart was in his throat. His legs suddenly felt like they were made of jell-o and he grasped the countertop to try to steady himself.

"Dude, are you ok?" Ross looked at him.

"Actually, I'm not up to going out tonight." he managed to get out. "Can I take a rain check?"

"Sure." they watched him slowly make his way to his room and shut his door behind him.

"He's having another episode." Ross sighed.

"Do you think we'll ever find out why he gets like that?" Joey asked.

"I guess that's up to Chandler."

Chandler sat silently on his bed and skimmed through the letter that he had received from the State Correctional Facility of New York. 'Dear Mr. Bing, We are under obligation to inform you of the parole hearing of Leonard Schultz. You are asked to appear before the parole board to give a statement.'

He took a few deep breaths to try to calm his racing heart. This couldn't be happening. Not now. Things were finally looking up for him.

After many years of failure with women, he finally had a steady relationship with Monica. None of their friends knew about them; except Joey. But that's only because he found out by accident. He was happy to keep the secret for them because he'd do anything for Chandler. And a few briberies didn't hurt.

A little while later, Monica walked into their apartment. She was going to leave a note for Chandler in his room to call her when they got back from the game. Then she saw Joey and Ross sitting in some chairs as they watched some TV. Every few seconds, they would both glance towards Chandler's door hoping to see him coming out to join them.

"I thought you guys were going to the game with Chandler." Monica looked at them both.

"He had another episode." Joey told her. "So I traded in the tickets for tonight's game for one to a game next week."

"Oh." she gave Joey a look, and he nodded.

"Ross, let's go get some pizza. Maybe it'll make Chandler feel better."

"Sure." he followed Joey out of the apartment and Monica went to Chandler's door and knocked.

"Chandler, are you ok?" she asked softly.

"Mon, I don't really feel like being around anyone right now."

"Ok. If you change your mind, you know where to find me." she slowly walked out of the apartment.

Chandler lay on his bed and sighed deeply. He hated to send Monica away, but he didn't want to talk to anyone right now. He knew that he would probably have to tell the others soon, but he wasn't ready for that. He thought he was over this; until that letter had come. Now he had to relive that time in a courtroom full of strangers.

Chandler fell asleep around midnight. Joey went off to bed not long after that. He knew Chandler would have nightmares tonight, but he knew better than to try to go in there to try to help him. He found that out the first time he tried to help him not long after he moved in. When he attempted to try to help him, he screamed at him and tried to kick at him.

**AN:** Please review!


	2. Chapter 2

**AN:** Repost. Let me know if you think it's better than the original.

**Disclaimer:** I own no one. They all belong to Bright/Kauffman/Crane.

**Chapter 2**

A week later, the others were gathered in Monica and Rachel's apartment to discuss Chandler. He still hadn't gotten over his episode and they were all worried about the state he was in. He barely spoke to any of them anymore. He was always spotted staring blankly into space until one of them spoke to him directly and he pretended he had been listening to them all along.

At other times, he would get very upset when they would be watching together. He would storm out whenever a news report came on about a very highly publicized parole hearing about some prisoner. None of them could figure out what exactly was going on with him.

He also started shutting Monica out. She wanted so desperately to find out what was bothering him. But it seemed that the more she tried to talk to him about it, the more he pushed her away.

"This is bad." Phoebe sighed. "His episodes usually don't last more than a couple days."

"Something else must've happened." Rachel said.

"What happened the night you were supposed to go to the game?" Monica looked at Ross and Joey as she made everyone some tea.

"He came home from work, looked through the mail, then went to his room." Joey said.

"But he had a letter in his hand." Ross added.

"Do you know what it was?" Rachel asked.

"No."

"Where is he now?" Monica asked.

"He left a while ago." Joey told her. "He said he'd be back later tonight."

"I say we snoop in his room." They all followed her into Joey and Chandler's apartment and went into Chandler's room.

Monica went straight to Chandler's nightstand while Phoebe went to his closet and Rachel went to his dresser. Joey and Ross just looked on as the girls rooted through Chandler's belongings.

"Anything?" Monica asked.

"Nothing. Just clothes." Phoebe closed the closet door in defeat.

"Same here." Rachel said as she closed the bottom dresser drawer.

"Did you find anything?" Phoebe asked Monica.

"Nothing." Monica sighed. "He just has bank statements, credit card receipts….and a letter from the State Correctional Facility of New York."

"What?" Ross went to her and tried to read it over her shoulder. "What does it say?"

"That Chandler has to appear before the parole board regarding a prisoner by the name of Leonard Schultz."

"That name sounds familiar." Phoebe said.

"It does." Rachel added.

"Let's look him up.**" **Monica told them. "On my computer."

They all went back into Monica and Rachel's apartment and Monica got out her laptop. They all gathered around behind her as she sat at the kitchen table.

"Oh my god." Rachel gasped as she read over her shoulder. "That's the guy that's been in the news recently."

"So who is he? What's it say?" Ross asked.

"Yeah. What did he do?" Phoebe asked them.

"Leonard Schultz is a serial kidnapper. He targeted children of privileged families." Monica told them.

"Chandler?"

Monica scanned down to the bottom of the page where there were pictures of all of Schultz' kidnap victims. Her gaze stopped on one picture in particular. It was of a boy that looked about nine-years-old. He looked so familiar.

"Oh my god. I think that's Chandler."

"It does kind of look like him." Phoebe asked.

"Ross?" Monica looked back at him.

"It's him." he told her after she pointed out the picture to him.

"Chandler was kidnapped when he was little?" Rachel asked.

Monica skimmed down to the bottom of the page and clicked on one of the many links.

"There's an article from the New York Times about Chandler's kidnapping."

"Read it." Joey told her.

"Another family was targeted by the serial kidnapper. Nine-year-old Chandler Bing was discovered missing by his mother, Nora Bing. The police were called and upon arriving at the house, did a search and found a cloth covered in chloroform. The police think that's how the kidnapper was able to get the boy out of the house without his mother hearing him put up a fight."

"Oh my god." Rachel sighed. "Chandler was kidnapped when he was just nine-years-old. I can't believe it."

"There's another article dated six months after his kidnapping."

"What's that one say?"

"Nine-year-old Chandler Bing, the latest serial kidnapping victim, was finally found today. A woman saw his parents on TV pleading for his return and recognized the boy in the picture as one of her neighbors' sons. She immediately called the police and they rushed to the development and found Leonard Schultz living normally in the close-knit community. They arrested Schultz and after doing a thorough search of the house, found young Chandler locked in a closet. There was a pile of blankets that was obviously used for his bed and a couple bowls that were used to provide him with food and water."

"I can't believe he went through that." Phoebe said.

"I can't imagine what he went through." Joey sighed. "I don't think any of us can."

"Oh no." Monica gasped. "There's pictures of where they found Chandler."

They skimmed through the pictures and saw photos of piles of blankets in one corner of a small closet and what appeared to be rats in another corner of it.

"Where's that letter?" Monica asked. "When is the hearing?"

"Today. In about an hour." Ross skimmed through the letter.

"We need to get down to the courthouse. He needs us."

"Monica,"

"What?" she glared at all of them.

"Is there another reason you want to go down there?" Ross asked.

"What other reason would there be to go down there other than to be there for Chandler?" Joey tried covering for Monica as he started to follow her.

"It's ok, Joey." Monica told him, then looked at her older brother. "What's more important right now? The fact that your best friend and sister might be seeing each other? Or that Chandler has to relive a truly traumatic event from his childhood in a courtroom full of strangers?"

"She's right. Let's go." Phoebe told them and they all rushed out of the building and grabbed a cab to take to the courthouse.

**AN:** Please review!


	3. Chapter 3

**AN:** Repost. Tell me if it's better than the original.

**Disclaimer:** I own no one. They all belong to Bright/Kauffman/Crane.

**Chapter 3**

They reached the courthouse and rushed inside. A bailiff showed them where the hearing was and they snuck in the back and saw many people standing around; probably all the victims and their families. There were also many news cameras there to cover the hearing. They stood behind a group of people as they scanned the room to try to find Chandler.

"Is that him?" Rachel pointed to someone sitting in a wooden chair near the front in between two people that he talked to quietly. "Who is that with him? Is that his mom?"

Rachel only met her once a few years ago, but she would know Nora Bing anywhere. She wasn't dressed in an expensive tailor-made suit, but her hair was still made up. The man was in a three-piece suit as he patted Chandler on the back to calm him down. They could all see that he was shaking very badly.

"Yeah. That's his mom." Ross told them. "And I think that's his dad."

They all stood in the back and watched as one-by-one, all of Leonard Schultz's victims took the stand and told their stories. Then it was Chandler's turn. He looked at his parents one last time before he slowly stood up and went to the stand. He took a calming breath before starting to speak to the room.

"My name is Chandler Bing and I was nine when I was kidnapped." he started. "I don't remember much about the night I was taken, but I remember quite a bit about the months of torture I spent at the hands of Leonard Schultz. I was beaten if I even talked about my parents. He threatened to kill me and them if I told anyone who I really was. I was kept locked in a closet that I had to share with rats. A pile of blankets was used for my bed and two bowls provided my meals of water and stale bread once a day…"

They all listened silently to Chandler recount his ordeal and tried not to cry. Monica let a few tears slip out and Joey held her tightly.

Chandler was finally asked to step down as he started shaking again. The parole board said they'd make a decision by the end of the day as everyone slowly started to file out of the room.

Chandler started to walk back to his parents when he spotted them all in the back. His eyes widened and they could see the fear in his eyes.

"What-" he stopped in his tracks as Monica went to him and hugged him tightly. "How did you know?"

"We were worried about you." she looked at him. "So don't be mad, but we went into your room and found the letter. Then we did a search on the internet."

"I wanted to tell you." he told her softly. "I just didn't know how."

"It's ok." she looked at him. "I'm just sorry this happened to you."

"Don't feel sorry for me. Please. I'm fine. Really."

"I'll let you think that I believe you for now." she smiled at him.

"I'm guessing I need to talk to Ross." Chandler spotted the others standing near the back of the room, looking nervous. "They all know, don't they?"

"I kind of revealed it to them in my haste to get down here to you."

"Chandler," Nora came up to them with Charles. "You did very well up there. Are you ready to go to lunch?"

"I need to talk to my friends first." he looked at her. "You remember Monica, right? She's Ross' sister. We've been seeing each other."

"Nice to see you again." Nora smiled at Monica.

"You, too." she smiled as Charles introduced himself to her.

Chandler left them talking as he walked to the others. He kept his eyes lowered to the ground until he got right in front of them. He finally looked up at them and all he could see was pity in their eyes.

"So now you guys know." he looked at all of them.

"I can't believe you went through that." Rachel hugged him tightly. "At least you came out of it relatively ok."

"I'm fine. Just don't feel sorry for me. I came out of it all right. I just want to move on now."

"Fair enough."

"You want to kill me or something?" Chandler looked at Ross.

"No. You and my sister are good for each other. And you need her right now."

"Thanks."

"We've been friends for a long time. And you never told me?"

"After I was returned, school was horrible for me. That's why my mom sent me to boarding school for high school. I begged her to send me away so I wouldn't have to deal with anymore of it. Once I got to college, I didn't think about it anymore. I could finally put the whole thing behind me."

"Chandler," Monica went to him. "Your parents invited me to lunch with you guys. If that's ok with you."

"Yeah. That's fine." he smiled. "I'd love it if you came out to eat with us."

"Ready to go, son?" his dad came over to them. "It's been a long day for all of us."

"Yeah. Let's go." he smiled as he turned to the others. "I'll see you guys in a little while."

Chandler and Monica followed his parents outside and they grabbed a cab as the others grabbed one to take them back to their apartments.

**AN:** Please review!


	4. Chapter 4

**AN: **Repost. Tell me if it's better than the original.

**Disclaimer: **I own no one. They all belong to Bright/Kauffman/Crane.

**Chapter 4**

They got to the restaurant and were seated in the back away from everyone else. After they all ordered their food, Charles and Chandler went to the bar to get a couple drinks. Monica watched them walk away and sit at the bar as they talked quietly to each other. She turned back to look at Nora as she smiled at her.

"So I take it that he never told you." Nora looked at her.

"No. He'd have these episodes where he wouldn't want to be around anyone. We'd worry about him, but didn't want to ask him about it."

"So how'd you finally find out?"

"We snooped in his room, found the letter, and did a search."

"Very sneaky."

"So tell the truth." Monica looked Nora straight in the eyes. "Is that why you got divorced? Because Chandler was kidnapped?"

"No. We were in the middle of it when he was taken. We put it on hold while he was gone. It became final six months after he was returned."

The food arrived and Chandler and his dad came back to them. Monica took his hand and squeezed it tightly. He glanced at her and they smiled back at each other.

Monica and Chandler went back to the apartment after they dropped his parents off at the airport. They were laying side-by-side on Chandler's bed as Monica lay her head on his chest and he ran his hands through her hair slowly.

"I'm sorry I never told you." he told her softly.

"It's ok. I understand." she looked up at him. "So tell me the truth. Is that why you never had a long-term relationship? Because you didn't want to tell them and risk them walking away."

"Yeah." he said softly. "I didn't want them to look at me differently."

"Am I looking at you differently now?"

"Not yet." he sighed. "You're still in shock, I think."

"I will be with you to help you through this."

"I know you'd like to think that." he sighed.

"So do you need anything right now? Want me to get you anything?"

"Can you just stay with me?" he looked at her. "I haven't really been sleeping that great lately."

"Sure." she turned on to her side. She ran her fingers through his hair, and rubbed his back. She kept it up until she heard his deep breathing and knew that he had fallen asleep.

A little while later, Monica silently walked out of Chandler's room and quietly shut his door behind her. She spotted the others there watching TV in the living room. They looked up at her as she joined them.

"Hey. When'd you guys get back?" Joey asked her.

"About an hour ago." she sighed. "We've been talking about what happened. He finally fell asleep about ten minutes ago."

"How was lunch with his parents?" Ross asked.

"Fine. Chandler said it's the only time they can tolerate each other. When it involves his kidnapping."

Chandler was sound asleep when he faintly heard a knock on his bedroom door. He slowly turned over and sat up as Joey slowly came in with the phone in his hand.

"It's the courthouse." he told him. "They said it's important."

"This is Chandler Bing." he took the phone and listened to the person on the other end. "He is? That's good. Thank you for letting me know."

"So what'd they say?" Joey asked as he hung up the phone.

"Leonard Schultz is being sent back to the state facility. His parole was denied." Chandler smiled.

"That's great."

"Yeah. It is." Chandler looked up at him. "Dude, I'm still really tired."

"Right." Joey took the phone from him and walked back out to the others.

"So what'd they say?" Monica asked anxiously.

"Leonard Schultz's parole was denied." he told them all.

"Thank god." Rachel sighed. "He deserves the death sentence for what he did to Chandler and all those other kids."

"Maybe now he'll be able to sleep better." Ross said.

"Hopefully he'll be able to start to put all this behind him." Phoebe said.

**AN:** Please review!


	5. Chapter 5

**AN:** Repost. Please tell me if it's better than the original.

**Disclaimer: **I own no one. They all belong to Bright/Kauffman/Crane.

**Chapter 5**

On Saturday, Chandler slept until almostnoon. Monica told everyone to let him sleep so that he could catch up on his sleep. He finally came out of his room and stumbled to the kitchen to make some coffee. He was sitting at the counter staring blankly ahead when Joey came in.

"Hey, man. Did you get some sleep?"

"I think so." he sighed as he glanced at him. "Were you at an audition?"

"Yeah. Didn't get it."

"Sorry, man."

"It's ok." he shrugged as there was a light knock on the door.

Monica came in and smiled when she spotted Chandler sitting at the counter. She went to sit on the stool beside Chandler and he smiled at her.

"So how'd you sleep?" she asked him.

"Better than I have in a long time." he told her.

"Maybe we can go out again then." Joey said. "Cash in that rain check you owe me and Ross for the game."

"Yeah. Maybe." he smiled as the phone rang and he picked it up. "This is Chandler Bing. What? How'd that happen? Thanks for letting me know."

"Who was that?" Monica asked him as he slowly hung up the phone.

"The police station. Leonard Schultz escaped police custody." he said softly.

"What? How?" Joey asked him.

"Somehow on the transport back to state lockup." Chandler said and they watched as he started gasping and he broke out into a cold sweat. He glanced at Monica as if to plead for her help and she leapt up from where she was sitting and tried to help him.

"Oh my god. Let's get you back to your bedroom." Monica helped Chandler off the stool and started to walk him to his room.

Chandler's legs seemed to give out and he fell against Monica. She practically had to drag him to his room and sat him on the bed.

"Ok. Take a deep breath." Monica spotted a paper sack on Chandler's dresser and snatched it up and held it before him.

Chandler took the bag from her and started breathing in and out slowly. Monica sat beside him and rubbed his back until he calmed down and took the bag away from his mouth.

"I think I'm better now." he said softly.

"Are you sure?" she looked at him.

"No." he slowly lay back on the bed.

"It's going to be ok. Maybe we can talk to the police about this."

"There's a detective that I think is still working there. Me and my parents kept in touch with him after he helped rescue me from Schultz. He was just a deputy back then."

"I'll go out and tell Joey you're all right. You just rest."

"I don't want to see anyone else. I just want to be alone."

"That doesn't include me, does it?"

"No." he cracked a smile at her as she started to leave his room.

Joey sat at the counter and looked towards Chandler's room as he waited for them to come back out. Rachel came in with Ross and Phoebe and saw him just staring at Chandler's door. He didn't notice they were there yet.

"Joey?" Ross went to him. "What's going on?"

"Chandler just got a call from the police." he looked at them. "Leonard Schultz escaped police custody on the way back to lockup."

"Oh no." Rachel gasped as Monica slowly came out of Chandler's room.

"How is he, Mon?" Joey asked her.

"He's ok now." she sighed. "But he doesn't want to see anyone right now."

"So what's going to happen now?" Phoebe asked.

"Chandler's going to the police station tomorrow to talk to a detective. He was actually the one that rescued him when he was little. He was a deputy back then."

"That's nice of him to want to help." Rachel said.

"I'd better call Chandler's parents and let them know." Monica picked up the phone and dialed as the others went to watch some TV.

"Nora? It's Monica Gellar. I have some bad news." she spoke into the phone. "No. Chandler is fine. For right now."

Monica walked into Chandler and Joey's apartment one morning at eight. She silently walked into Chandler's bedroom and smiled at the sight she saw. He was still sleeping curled into a tight ball with the blanket pulled up to his neck. He looked so vulnerable like that; almost afraid in a way.

"Chandler," she went to him and softly shook him as she sat beside him.

"What?" he slowly sat up and looked at her.

"You need to be at the police station at nine to talk to that detective."

"Right." he glanced at the clock. "I'd better get dressed."

"I'll wait out in the living room for you." She walked out as he slowly climbed out of bed and went to his closet.

Chandler came out a little while later and saw Monica drinking some coffee. She stood up and went to him.

"Did you want me to come with you?" she asked.

"Yes. Please."

"Do you want to have any breakfast before we leave?"

"I'm not hungry. I'm too nervous." he said softly.

"Then I guess we can go." she took his hand and they walked out of the apartment. They ran into Phoebe coming up the stairs.

"Hey. Where you guys going so early?" she asked them.

"To the police station to talk to that detective." Monica told her.

"Oh. Good luck. I'll see you when you get back." she walked up to Monica and Rachel's as Monica and Chandler walked out of the building and grabbed a cab.

They reached the police station and Chandler went to the front desk as Monica went to sit in the chairs. The receptionist spotted him there and smiled at him.

"Can I help you?" she asked him.

"My name is Chandler Bing. I'm here to see Detective Atkins."

"He's with someone right now. If you'll wait in those chairs, I'll tell him you're here when he's done."

"Thank you." he went to go sit in the wooden chairs with Monica and she took his hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. "Can you come in with me?"

"Are you sure?" she looked at him.

"Yes. I want you to know everything from this moment on. No more secrets. I promise."

"Ok." she smiled at him.

"Chandler Bing," an older man came out to them. "It's so good to see you again after so long."

"Detective Atkins," Chandler went to him. "It has been a while."

"Come on back." they followed him back to his office and sat in the chairs before his desk.

"This is my girlfriend, Monica." Chandler introduced them.

"Nice to meet you." Detective Atkins smiled at her.

"So how bad is it?" Monica asked. "Is Chandler in danger?"

"Well, obviously with Schultz's escape, all of us here are concerned. That means that all of his former victims are in danger. Chandler especially. So we're taking some precautions." Detective Atkins told them.

"Why especially Chandler?"

"I'm the only one of Schulz's victims that testified at his trial." Chandler told her. "It was my testimony that sent him away."

"Oh."

"So what's going to happen?" Chandler asked.

"Well, we're going to put armed guards around the both of you." detective Atkins told them. "If he's been keeping an eye on you, he'll know everything about you both. We need to protect you."

More than an hour later, Monica and Chandler walked hand-in-hand back to their apartments. A few yards behind them, was two officers that was assigned to protect them by Detective Atkins. They walked into the building and started to climb the stairs.

"This is just weird." Monica glanced behind them.

"I know." he sighed. "But it's for our protection."

"Well, let's go tell everyone." she sighed.

"I'll meet you at your place with Joey."

"Ok." she walked into her place as he opened the door to his apartment. When he walked in, he was shocked to see Joey and Ross talking to two people.

"Mom? Dad?"

"Chandler," Nora went to him and hugged him tightly. "Monica called us last night and told us that Schultz escaped. We came back out as soon as we could."

"I'm doing ok."

"So how'd it go at the police station?" Ross asked from the counter.

"Yeah. I need to talk to you about that actually." he looked at all of them. "I need all of you to come to the girls' apartment. We have to tell you something important."

"Sure." they all followed him into Monica and Rachel's and saw two uniformed officers standing in the kitchen with Monica, Rachel, and Phoebe.

"What's going on, son?" Charles looked at him.

"Detective Atkins thought we might need some protection." Chandler told them. "Officer Johnson is my body guard. And Officer Marks is Monica's body guard."

"Why does Monica need a body guard?" Rachel asked.

"Because she's with me. And anyone around me could be a target."

"Detective Atkins thinks Schultz will come after Monica because she's your girlfriend?" Ross asked, afraid for both his best friend and his sister.

"He said that Chandler's in danger more than all his other victims." Monica told them.

"Why?" Joey asked.

"Because he testified at his trial." Nora spoke up. "Oh, god. We shouldn't have let you take the stand."

"It's not your guys' fault." Chandler told them. "I wanted to take the stand. I didn't want to be a victim."

"So what'll happen now?" Phoebe asked.

"Well, they'll stand outside the door to each of our apartments," Monica explained to them. "And anywhere else we are."

"No offense," Joey glanced at the officers. "But this totally sucks."

"Yeah. It kind of does." Chandler agreed.

"Why don't you both take us through a normal day for you." Officer Johnson spoke up.

"If we're not here, we're usually at work or at the coffee house downstairs."

**AN: **Please review!


	6. Chapter 6

**AN: **This one is a new chapter. I reposted the first five because I didn't like how they came out. My computer crashed and I lost everything. So I had to try to rewrite it from memory. It wasn't that great, so I made a few adjustments. Hope you guys like the new version.

**To kenwoody:** I reposted these for you mostly. I hope you think the new version is a little better. Even if you don't, I'm not going to repost again. But I am working on the rest of the chapters.

**Disclaimer:** I own no one. They al belong to Bright/Kauffman/Crane.

**Chapter 6**

Chandler was sound asleep in Monica's bed a few nights later. He had been spending the night with her because he didn't want to be away from her for too long. Monica turned over and looked at Chandler as he started to talk in his sleep. Then it intensified as he started to toss and turn violently.

"No," he mumbled. "No. Mom, dad."

"Chandler, wake up." she shook him. "It's just a dream."

"Monica?" there was a knock on the door and Rachel came in. "Is everything all right?"

"He's having another nightmare."

"No! Stop!" Chandler shot up in bed and started shaking uncontrollably.

"It's ok." Monica held him to her and motioned for Rachel to leave.

"I need something to drink." he started to get off the bed.

"I'll get it for you." she told him. He sat back down on the bed as Monica walked out to the living room, and saw Rachel waiting for her.

"Is he ok?" Rachel asked her.

"For now." she sighed. "I know you're losing sleep because Chandler's been having these dreams whenever he sleeps over."

"I'm worried about Chandler. We all are. But-"

"But what?"

"I do need my sleep. So when Chandler spends the night here, I'm going to sleep over at Joey's."

"I understand."

"I hope Chandler's ok tonight." Rachel told her as she started to go back into her room.

"Me, too." Monica went to fill a glass with water for Chandler and started back to her bedroom.

Monica walked into her bedroom and saw Chandler sitting on the bed with his knees pulled up to his chest. He had calmed down a little bit, but he was still shaking.

"Here you go." she handed him the glass and held it for him as he took a big gulp. He stopped shaking, but pulled his knees to his chest tightly.

"I don't want to keep thinking about that time." he said softly.

"I know." she slowly rubbed his back.

"I'm sorry I'm making Rachel want to leave."

"You heard us?" he nodded. "She's worried about you. We all are."

"I know. I'm sorry I keep waking you up with these damn nightmares."

"Do you hear me complaining?"

"Not yet." he mumbled.

"Would you be willing to talk to someone professionally?"

"You're talking about a shrink, aren't you?" he finally looked at her.

"I know you don't like talking to them. But I can go with you if you want."

"I was court-ordered to talk to someone after I was returned and I hated it."

"This time you'll be given a choice." she assured him.

"I'll think about it." he sighed.

"Fair enough." she took the glass from him after he took another drink and put it on the bedside table. "Let's try to get some sleep."

"Ok." he lay back down and she held him as they slowly drifted off to sleep.

The next afternoon, Monica and Rachel were at Central Perk drinking their fourth cups of coffee when Phoebe, Joey, and Ross came in.

"You guys look exhausted." Phoebe looked at them.

"Chandler still having those nightmares then?" Joey asked.

"Yes." Rachel sighed.

"He's got to get better, right?" Ross asked.

"Hopefully." Monica sighed. "I got him to at least think about going to see a shrink. I told him I'd go with him if he wanted me to."

"It's a start at least." Phoebe said.

"He's here." Joey saw Officer Johnson come in to check the place out before Chandler came in. "Hey, buddy. How was work?"

"Not great." he sighed as he sat beside Monica on the couch.

"What happened?" Ross asked.

"I was called into my boss' office today. He knows about everything."

"It was bound to happen. Every news station was at the hearing."

"And the armed guard probably tipped him off." he sighed. "The parole hearing was covered in the paper, too. My name was in print as one of the victims."

"Don't they need your permission for that?" Monica asked.

"Apparently not." he mumbled.

"So what'd your boss say?" Phoebe asked.

"He's giving me some time off. I don't have any choice in the matter. It's mandatory. He tried to tell me it was like a paid vacation."

"So you're getting paid not to work?" Joey asked. "Sounds great to me."

"Work helps me take my mind off things."

"It'll be fine." Monica assured him. "You can spend more time with Joey playing foosball. Or going to a Knicks game."

"Yeah, baby." Joey smiled at him. "You still owe me and Ross that rain check for the Knicks game we missed."

"Hey. Can we go somewhere and talk privately?" Chandler glanced over at Monica. "I really need to talk to you about something."

"I don't know about private." Monica looked at the guards standing by the entrance to the coffee shop. "But we can take a walk in the park."

They got up off the couch and walked out of the coffee house as the guards followed them down the street. The others watched them leave and they all turned to look at each other.

"I hope everything is ok." Rachel sighed.

"He probably just needs to talk, and he doesn't want to say whatever it is in front of us." Ross said.

"At least he's talking to someone." Joey sighed. "I just wish he would talk to the rest of us, too."

"We have to give him some time." Phoebe told them. "Monica is the first girlfriend that he's told about the kidnapping. It's a huge step for him."

"I guess."

"He'll talk to us about it eventually." Ross said. "We should be thankful that he's even talking about it at all after keeping it buried inside for so long."

"I'm surprised he's handled it so well." Rachel said. "There was an article about the victims in the paper the other day. One of them has spent her life in and out of mental hospitals since she was returned to her parents."

"I guess we should be thankful that it hasn't come to that." Joey sighed.

Monica followed behind Chandler as he slowly walked down the bike path to the park. He sat down on a bench and she sat beside him and took his hand. He had been very quiet since they left Central Perk.

"So what do you need to talk to me about?" she looked at him.

"I've decided to go see a shrink." he said quietly as he looked back at her.

"You will?" she smiled. "Are you sure about this?"

"I'm sure." he sighed. "But you'll come with me to see the doctor, right? You said you would come with me."

"Of course I will." she assured him.

"And you'll sit in on the sessions with me?"

"You actually want me to?"

"Only if you want to."

"Of course I will."

"Just to warn you, you may hear some things you don't want to."

"I don't care. I will be here for you."

"Thank you." he smiled at her. "So do you want to go back to your place or my place? We can watch a movie or something."

"Sure. Let's go to your place. I think Joey has an audition soon. So he'll be gone for a little while."

They got up from the bench and made the short walk to their building. They went into Chandler and Joey's apartment and got settled on one of the barca loungers. They found a movie on TV that they both liked and settled in to watch it. Chandler glanced at Monica and they smiled at each other.

**AN:** Please review!


	7. Chapter 7

**AN:** Here's another chapter for all of you. PLEASE leave me some reviews!!!

**Disclaimer: **I own no one. They all belong to Bright/Kauffman/Crane.

**Chapter 7**

Chandler sat in the waiting room of the psychiatrist's office next to Monica. She held his hand tightly as he fidgeted in his seat. He had been like this ever since they got up this morning. She tried her best to calm his nerves, but it did no good.

"It'll be ok." She assured him as they waited. "I'll stay with you the entire time. I promise."

"What if you're not allowed in there with me?"

"I called in for this appointment, remember? They said that I would be allowed in the room as long as it was fine with you."

"Ok." he calmed down a little bit.

"Chandler Bing?" the receptionist came out to them. "The doctor is ready to see you now."

"Come on. Let's go." Monica pulled him up and they walked down the long hallway and into a private room.

It seemed welcoming enough to Chandler. There was a desk in front of a big bay window that looked over the city. Spread across the desk were a few files, and some framed pictures. Beside the window were some plaques saying where the doctor graduated from and where he was certified. There was a couch and a chair in the middle of the room.

They sat side-by-side on the couch that was in the room as they waited for the therapist. Chandler got even more jumpy as it got closer and closer to meeting the doctor. Monica held him to try to calm him down.

"Would you be mad if I decided to go home right now?" he looked at her.

"You have the right to do that if you want to." she told him. "But you've come this far. I think you should try this. If you don't like it, then you don't have to come back if you don't want to."

"Ok." he sighed.

"Hello," the door opened and an older man with graying hair came into them. "I'm Dr. Williams. You're Chandler and Monica, right?"

"Hi." Chandler said softly.

"Nice to meet you." Monica smiled at him.

"I'm guessing it's Chandler that's going to be needing my help." he sat across from them in the chair. "All new patients are apprehensive about sharing their problems with strangers. I assure you that whatever you say in here, stays in here."

"Thank you." Chandler said.

"So why don't you tell me why you're here." Dr. Williams looked at him.

"I just want my nightmares to stop." Chandler sighed. "I'm losing sleep over them. And forcing Monica to lose sleep as well."

"Do you want to tell me what your nightmares are about?"

"I guess I should start from the beginning," Chandler glanced at Monica and she nodded. "When I was nine, I was kidnapped in the middle of the night from my bed. I spent six months trapped in a house with my kidnapper."

"And have you had these nightmares since you were nine? Or did they just start up?"

"I had them after I was rescued. They eventually went away. I mean, I had them every so often. Now they're starting up again. And now I'm having them nightly."

"What do you think triggered them now?"

"A few weeks ago, I had to take the stand at my kidnapper's parole hearing. I had to relive what I experienced in a court room of people that I didn't know in front of news cameras. His parole was denied, but he escaped police custody on the transport back to state lockup."

"Ok. So do you think that you're afraid that he could just walk into your room and take you while you're sleeping like he did when you were younger?"

"That's part of it, I guess." he sighed. "Lately, I've been sleeping over at Monica's. So if he comes for me, he'd have to take her too."

"That won't happen." Monica spoke up. "We have armed guards wherever we go. They won't let anything happen to us."

Chandler and Monica spent the rest of the hour talking to the therapist. They finally walked out of the building and caught a cab to take back to their apartments. Chandler was quiet the whole way back. Talking about everything really drained him, so he went to his bedroom and fell right to sleep.

When Chandler awoke again, Monica was laying beside him and smiled at him. He smiled back at her as he slowly sat up.

"How long have I been sleeping?" he rubbed his eyes.

"A couple hours. But you didn't have any nightmares. So maybe talking about it helped?"

"Maybe it did." he smiled at her. "Maybe I'll consider going to another session."

"If you want to."

"As long as you'll still go with me." he looked at her.

"Of course I will." she assured him. "So I need to ask you something about the session today."

"Ok." he said softly.

"You said that because you've been staying over at my place, you were afraid that we both would be taken. So have you been spending the night at my place because you don't want me to be alone in case something happens to me?"

"No. I mean, not really." he took her hand. "I've been spending the night with you because I don't want to be alone. And the nightmares are more bearable if you're there to help me deal with them."

"Ok." she smiled. "We should get back to my place. I invited your parents over for dinner tonight. So I should start cooking something."

"Want me to help you with anything?"

"No. But I think the others are there. They want to see you." they both got up and walked out of his room and went across the hall to her apartment. They found the others there watching TV.

"Hey. How was your nap?" Rachel asked as they all looked back at them.

"Good." Chandler sighed. "At least I don't have bad dreams when I sleep during the day."

"Come join us." Phoebe called. "This is a really good show."

"Sure." he joined them as Monica started making supper.

**AN:** So there's another chapter. It's a little short, but I wanted to write a chapter about Chandler's first therapy session. I might have a couple more chapters dealing with his therapy sessions, but I'm not sure yet. PLEASE leave me some reviews!!!!!


	8. Chapter 8

**AN: **Here's another chapter for you guys. Hope you guys like it. Please leave me some reviews!!!

**Disclaimer: **I own no one. They all belong to Bright/Kauffman/Crane.

**Chapter 8**

Monica was cleaning the apartment one night when Rachel came home from work late. She dropped the mail on the table as Monica came from the bathroom.

"Hey. How was work?" Monica asked her.

"Fine." she sighed. "How's Chandler doing today?"

"He went to the Knicks game with Joey, Ross, and his dad."

"Joey's probably happy that Chandler's finally cashing in the rain check." she smiled. "I'm glad he's finally getting out."

"Me, too."

"How are his therapy sessions going?"

"I think they're really helping him. I mean, talking about what happened drains him. But he's having less and less nightmares."

"That's good."

"Hey." Phoebe came in. "What are you guys up to?"

"The guys are at the game with Chandler's dad." Monica told her. "So how about we go get something to eat? We'll bring some dessert back for them."

"That sounds great."

There was a knock on the door and Officer Marks came in. Monica saw the look he had and her heart sank.

"Sorry to bother you all," he told them. "But I just got a call from Officer Johnson. The others are taking Chandler to the hospital."

"What happened? Is he ok?" Monica asked.

"He had some sort of attack. I called Detective Atkins. He's on his way down to the hospital."

"Let's go." Rachel and Phoebe led Monica out of the apartment and Officer Marks led them to his squad car and they went to the hospital.

They all rushed into the emergency room and saw Joey and Ross sitting in some chairs as Charles and Nora argued with the nurse at the desk.

"Ross," Monica rushed to him. "How is he?"

"As far as I can tell, he's fine. They just want to monitor him for a couple hours. Charles said it looked like an asthma attack."

"Not a panic attack?"

"No. He was wheezing."

"I didn't know he had asthma."

"He had it when he was a kid." Nora came over to them. "But it went away when he got into junior high."

"Are you all here for Chandler Bing?" a doctor approached them.

"Yes. How is he?" Nora asked.

"He's fine. He's resting."

"So why did this happen?" Monica asked.

"A few reasons actually. Stress mostly. He told me what's been going on with him personally." he opened his chart. "And he told me what all he ate at the game tonight. So he might be experiencing some heart burn, too."

"We did kind of have a lot." Joey said.

"Can we see him?" Charles asked.

"Sure. Just try not to get him worked up. We have him hooked up to an EKG machine to monitor his heart just in case."

They followed him down the hall and into an exam room. Chandler was laying on the gurney in his street clothes. His shirt was unbuttoned and there were little white caps on his chest that had wires connected to them that ran to a machine that was slowly printing out paper that had squiggly lines on it. There was also a tube in his nose. Chandler's eyes were open to slits as they all walked in.

"Hey." he said softly as he smiled at all of them.

"How are you feeling, son?" Charles went to him.

"Better." he sighed. "I feel fine now, but they still want to keep me for a while yet."

"I'm glad you're all right." Monica went to him and took his hand.

"I guess we shouldn't have gotten so much to eat tonight." Joey told him.

"I was hungry." Chandler told him. "It's not your guys' fault. I probably shouldn't have ate so much."

"Ok. That's enough visiting." the doctor came in. "He still needs his rest."

"Can just one of them stay?" Chandler looked at the doctor.

"I think that'll be ok."

"I think we all know who he wants to stay." Rachel smiled. "We'll all be out in the waiting room until you're able to leave."

"Ok." he smiled as they all started to file out. "When Detective Atkins gets here, send him back here. I need to talk to him."

"Sure, honey." Nora told him.

"So why do you need to talk to Detective Atkins?" Monica asked as everyone else left the room.

"You'll find out once he gets here. I promise." he looked at her. "What's the matter?"

"When the officer told us that you were on your way here, I thought that maybe-"

"That Schultz had gotten to me?" she nodded. "I knew that you probably would think like that."

"I'm just glad that you're ok." she sat on the edge of the bed and took his hand and started running her hand through his hair.

"I did ask the doctor to give me a prescription for my panic attacks."

"Good." she sighed.

"Chandler," Detective Atkins appeared in the doorway. "I'm glad to see that you're all right."

"Hey." he sat up a little bit.

"So you need to talk to me?"

"I got a call tonight." Chandler dug out his cell phone. "I didn't recognize the number, but I answered it anyway. I thought maybe it was my work telling me I could come back."

"What'd they say?"

"Nothing that I could understand. There was just a lot of background noise."

"Let me take your phone to my office and I'll analyze it with the tracking device I put in it."

"Ok." Chandler gave him his cell phone as Monica took his hand.

A half hour later, Chandler and Monica walked out to the waiting room as Chandler finished buttoning up his shirt. The others stood up as they approached them.

"You can go home then?" Phoebe asked.

"Yeah. Everything is fine." Chandler smiled at them. "Let's go."

They all went back to their apartments and Chandler went into Monica's and she told him to go to bed because he looked so exhausted. He went into her room and fell right to sleep.

"Mon, have you told Mom and Dad what's been going on?" Ross asked.

"No." she sighed. "I don't think Chandler wants them to know."

"They probably already do. News coverage of the hearing probably aired where they live."

"You're right. I'll call them tomorrow and tell them a few things." she sighed as they all left and Monica went to her room and climbed into bed beside Chandler.

**AN:** There's another chapter. Hope you guys liked it. Sorry if Iscared you all at the beginning of the chapter. Please leave me some reviews!!!


	9. Chapter 9

**AN:** Here's another chapter for you guys. Please leave some reviews.

**Disclaimer: **I own no one. They all belong to Bright/Kauffman/Crane.

**Chapter 9**

Monica silently climbed out of bed one morning and went to take a shower. Chandler was still sound asleep, so she just let him sleep a little longer. Rachel came out of her bedroom went to the kitchen to get herself some breakfast as she heard the shower on. Then she heard a noise from Monica's room. It was probably Chandler. She quietly walked in and saw Chandler thrashing around on the bed, deep in his dream state.

"Chandler?" she went to him. "Wake up. You need to wake up."

"No! Not that! Please!"

Not able to wake him up, Rachel ran to the bathroom door as she heard the water turn off. She started to pound on the door.

"Monica, Chandler's having a nightmare. I can't get him to wake up."

"How long has he been having it?" she came out in her bathrobe.

"I'm not sure." they went back to Monica's room and Monica tried to shake Chandler awake.

"Chandler, wake up. It's me." she spoke loudly so he could hear her over his screams.

"What?" his eyes shot open and he saw Monica sitting beside him.

"Are you ok?" Monica looked down at him as Rachel silently walked out of the room. "What was this one about?"

"I didn't know that happened." Chandler mumbled. "I just remembered it."

"What?"

"He buried me alive." he said softly.

"It'll be ok." she held him as he tried not to cry in front of her. "I'm still here for you. I always will be."

A little bit later, Monica silently walked out of her room and saw the other three there. She picked up the phone and dialed a number.

"Dr. Williams, this is Monica Gellar. Chandler has an appointment later this afternoon. I was hoping we could come in sooner if you had any openings. Yes, he's had a bad episode. Thank you. We'll be there." she hung up the phone and sighed.

"His nightmare was really that bad?" Ross asked.

"Yes. He made me promise not to tell anyone what it was about."

"It's ok." Joey said.

"Do you think he'd mind if I went in to talk to him?" Phoebe asked.

"You can try."

Phoebe went to Monica's door and knocked softly. She got no answer and slowly started to push the door open.

"Chandler?" she stuck her head in. "Can I come in?"

"Sure." he was sitting on the bed already dressed, and she came in and sat beside him. "Did Monica tell you about my dream?"

"She didn't tell us what it was about. Was it that bad?"

"Yeah. I realize I must be repressing some of the memories."

"That's normal. Who would want to remember something like that?"

"I guess me and you have something in common now." he glanced over at her. "Our bad childhoods."

"It wasn't your entire childhood that was bad. Just a few months."

"It felt like my entire childhood."

"You'll get through this, Chandler." she looked at him. "We're all here to help you. If you decide to let us in."

"I will. Just not yet."

"I understand." she smiled at him as Monica came in.

"Hey. Dr. Williams agreed to see us in an hour." she told Chandler.

"Ok." he slowly climbed off the bed and followed her out. He barely looked at the others as he followed Monica out of the apartment.

"How do you think he is?" Rachel asked.

"I think he'll be ok." Phoebe said. "He's repressing a lot of his bad memories. He'll share them with us when he's ready. We just have to try to be patient."

Chandler walked into the doctor's office with Monica and saw the doctor already there. They sat down on the couch and Chandler glanced at the doctor.

"I hear we've had a bad morning." Dr. Williams looked at Chandler.

"Yeah." he said softly.

"Would you like to talk about it? Don't share anything you don't want to."

"Ok." Chandler took a deep breath as Monica rubbed his back. "It was about two months after I was taken. He had left, or I thought he had. I tried to escape, but he caught me. And to punish me-"

"Take your time," Dr. Williams urged him.

"And to punish me…he dragged me from the house and…and he buried me alive in the yard where we were…he gave me a straw to breath through… and left me there for hours…"

"It's ok." Monica held him as he started crying.

"If you want to recover all your repressed memories so that you can deal with them, there is a way." Dr. Williams told them.

"How?" Chandler wiped his eyes.

"With some of my patients, I've tried hypnosis."

"Do you really think that will work?" Chandler asked.

"It's hard to say."

"Are there any bad reactions to doing hypnosis?" Monica asked.

"None of my patients have experienced any." Dr. Williams took out some papers. "There's all the information on it. Take a couple days to think about it. Talk it over with each other and your family. And let me know when you make your final decision."

"Thank you." Chandler took the packet of information and he slowly walked out with Monica. She took his hand and held it tightly as they went to hail a cab.

**AN:** There's another chapter. Hope you liked it. Please leave some reviews!


	10. Chapter 10

**AN: **Sorry it's been so long, you guys. Had a bit of writer's block. Hope you enjoy this chapter. Please R & R.

**Disclaimer:** I own no one. They all belong to Bright/Kauffman/Crane.

**Chapter 10**

Chandler sat quietly on the couch at Central Perk as he read through all the information that Dr. Williams had given him. Everyone else was at work, and all he could think about was whether he wanted to retrieve all his repressed memories. Did he really want to put himself through all that? Was he ready to know everything?

"Hey, Chandler." he looked up and saw Phoebe coming into the coffee shop.

"Hey, Pheebs." he sighed.

"What's all this?" she sat beside him and saw what he was looking at. "Are you going to be hypnotized?"

"Dr. Williams suggested it. If I want to recover all my repressed memories."

"Are you going to do it?"

"I'm not sure." he sighed. "I don't know if I want to remember everything."

"Do you want my input?"

"Yes. Please."

"The day that the officers got assigned to you, you said that you testified at Schultz's trial all those years ago because you didn't want to be a victim. I think that if you don't find out everything that happened back then, then you're still a victim."

"I never thought of it that way." he looked at her.

"That's just my opinion, though. You do want you feel is right."

"I am kind of afraid of what I will remember."

"Of course you are. I'd be shocked if you weren't. But you have a lot of people to support you. Monica especially."

"I know." he sighed. "Thank you, Phoebe."

"No problem."

Chandler and Monica returned to her apartment after they spent the last couple hours out to dinner. They walked into the apartment and saw that it was empty.

"I guess Rachel's spending the night at my place." Chandler mumbled.

"No. She has a date tonight. Someone she met at work."

"Oh." he went to use the bathroom and came back out to see Monica taking a piece of paper off the refrigerator. "What's that?"

"It's a message for you." she gave it to him. "You're supposed to call Detective Atkins."

"Ok." he picked up her phone. "Detective Atkins, this is Chandler Bing. You find anything out? So is there anything to worry about? All right. Thank you. Keep me updated."

"What'd he say?" Monica asked as he hung up the phone.

"Whoever called my phone that night used a pre-paid phone. There's no way to know who it belongs to. But he said he'll keep us updated about everything."

"At least it's something."

"So I need to tell you something." he led her to the couch. "I made a decision about the hypnosis."

"Ok." she said slowly.

"I've decided that I want to go through with it." he looked at her. "I know I probably should have talked about it with you, but I did talk to someone. Who understands me now."

"You mean Phoebe."

"Did she tell you?"

"No. I can see that you guys have a bond now. We all can."

"Are you mad?"

"No." she assured him. "I'm glad you talk to her. As long as you still talk to me about what's going on."

"Of course I will. And it's not like I've given Phoebe details about my nightmares. You're the only one who knows anything about them."

"So when do you want to do the hypnosis?"

"At my next appointment." he sighed. "You'll still be there with me, right?"

"Of course." she hugged him tightly. "I told you I'd be with you every step of the way. As long as you wanted me."

"I'll always want you beside me." he told her.

"Why don't we go to bed? Try to get some sleep." they started towards her bedroom. "You're going to need a lot of energy if you're going to be hypnotized tomorrow."

"Ok." he smiled at her as they climbed into bed.

**AN: **There's another chapter for you guys. Sorry it's so short. I'll try to put out another longer chapter by the end of this week. Please R & R.


	11. Chapter 11

**AN: **Here's another chapter for you guys. It's a little short, but I wanted one chapter with Chandler undergoing hypnosis. Please R&R.

**Disclaimer: **I own no one. They all belong to Bright/Kauffman/Crane.

**Chapter 11**

Phoebe arrived at Monica and Rachel's mid-morning and saw Joey sitting across from Chandler at the table. Chandler was fidgeting so badly that he was shaking the table.

"Dude, calm down." Joey told him.

"It's not everyday that I'm hypnotized, ok?" Chandler snapped at him.

"Take a deep breath," Phoebe told him. "You made the decision. You need to have enough courage to follow through."

"Here," Monica brought over a cup of coffee. "Maybe this will calm your nerves."

"Thanks." he said softly.

"Hey," Rachel came in with Ross. "We were hoping to catch you before you left. We wanted to wish you luck."

"We should probably get going." Monica told Chandler. "Dr. Williams wanted us to get there early."

"Ok." Chandler slowly got up from the table and followed her out.

They reached the doctor's office and the receptionist showed them to a room right when they walked in. Chandler lay across the couch as the receptionist instructed him, and Monica sat across from him in the chair.

"Stop worrying." she brushed the hair out of his eyes. "It'll be ok. Dr. Williams wouldn't have recommended this if it wasn't safe. And I'll be here the entire time."

"Thank you." he smiled at her as Dr. Williams came in.

"Good morning," he smiled at them. "I can see someone is nervous. That's normal. Are we ready to get started?"

"I guess so." Chandler mumbled.

"Ok, Chandler. Just relax. Close your eyes." Chandler listened to what the doctor told him and relaxed as he counted backwards from ten.

Monica watched as Chandler relaxed and his breathing deepened. She stroked his arm soothingly as the doctor got out his notes on Chandler.

"Ok, Chandler. We're going to go back to when you were nine. To the night of October 11, 1976." Chandler's hand started to tighten in Monica's and he started breathing heavy. "I know it's scary, but you have to face it. Now tell me what you see."

"My bedroom."

"What's happening?"

"The door is opening. I'm pretending to sleep because I think it's my mom coming in to check on me."

"But it's not your mom."

"The footsteps are too heavy. I realize too late that I'm in trouble. They place a cloth over my mouth and I fall asleep."

"What's the next thing you remember?"

"Waking up in a dark room. I'm on a bed. My hands and feet are tied to the frame. I can't see, but I know there's someone in the room with me."

"What are they doing?"

"Just watching me. I start hurting."

"Why are you hurting?"

"They did something to me while I was sleeping. Maybe they stabbed me."

"Ok. Let's fast forward two months. It's around Christmas. Where are you?"

"It's a shack. I want to go home. He gets me something. A present."

"What does he give you?"

"A toy car."

"What happened next?"

"I throw it at him. He says I need to be punished for that."

"How does he punish you?"

"He takes me outside. Ties my hands to the tail pipe of his car. He starts it up and drags me along the ground." he tenses up and Monica strokes the back of his hand.

An hour later, the doctor takes Chandler out of his trance. He slowly opened his eyes and looked around.

"Is it over?" he asked softly.

"It's over." Monica assured him. "Are you ok?"

"I think so." he slowly sat up and she sat beside him.

"You did very well." Dr. Williams handed him a bottled water. "Can you remember anything that we talked about?"

"Not really."

"That's normal. The memories will most likely come back to you later."

"You did very well." Monica rubbed his back.

"How bad were the memories?" he looked at her.

"I'm not going to give you any detail, but a few of them were pretty bad."

"Take a few minutes for yourself, then you can go. I will see you again next week." Dr. Williams told them. "I have to get ready for my next patient."

"Thank you." Chandler told him as he walked out.

"So how do you feel?" Monica asked.

"Kind of tired."

"Dr. Williams said it would take a lot out of you."

"Can we go home now?"

"Sure." she helped him up and they walked out of the office building and grabbed a cab to go back home.

**AN: **Sorry this chapter is so short. But the next few chapters will start to get more interesting. So please R&R if you want me to put them out faster. And I'm also working on a one-shot that involves Chandler getting attacked on his way home to Monica for their anniversary. It'll probably be posted in a couple days. Thanks for reading!


	12. Chapter 12

**AN: **This chapter is a little bit longer than the last one. Please R&R. Tell me what you think of it.

**Disclaimer: **I own no one. They all belong to Bright/Kauffman/Crane.

**Chapter 12**

Monica and Chandler were laying on her bed as they talked softly. It was the middle of the afternoon and they were alone in the apartment. But Chandler had just remembered one of his repressed memories.

"Can you tell me what it was about?" Monica asked him.

"I was awake when he came for me." he mumbled. "I could've fought him."

"You don't know that. He could've hurt you even worse if you tried to."

"I guess." he sighed. "Are you getting frustrated with me?"

"Why would you think that?" she looked at him.

"You're always taking care of me. Helping me deal with this. Don't you ever get tired of it?"

"Sometimes." she looked at him. "But I love you. And I want to help you. So don't you ever think that you're a burden on me or the others. We all want to be here for you."

"I love you, too." he smiled at her.

"You want to try sleeping again?"

"I don't think I'll be able to sleep, but I'll try."

"My parents are coming into town today." she told him. "Ross is supposed to be picking them up."

"They know, don't they?" he looked at her.

"They saw the article in the paper. And the news coverage. They're worried about you. And they know about us. I told them."

"How'd they take it?"

"They were worried about my safety because of Schultz's escape. But they said that they were happy for us."

An hour later, Monica slowly closed the door behind her as she walked out of her room. The door opened and the other four came in.

"Hey. How's Chandler doing?" Joey asked.

"He's sleeping. He remembered something about the night he was taken."

"So it's slowly coming back to him." Phoebe said. "I hope what he remembers doesn't make him shut down."

"Me, too." Monica sighed.

"I'm on my way to get mom and dad." Ross told her. "Want to go with me?"

"I was going to go get some pizza to bring back for when Chandler wakes up again." Monica told him.

"We'll go with you." Rachel told her.

They all walked out of the apartment a few minutes later with Officer Marks following behind them as Officer Johnson stayed positioned outside the apartment door.

Chandler awoke a little bit later when he heard a noise. He looked next to him and saw Monica's side empty. He remembered her telling him that she would get them some dinner to bring back. He slowly got out of bed and started to walk out of the room, when he stopped in his tracks.

When he opened the door, he didn't recognize any of the people that were there. Actually, he spotted one he recognized: Leonard Schultz.

He looked the same as the last time he saw him when he was nine. He just looked a little older. But his eyes were the same. He would always remember those eyes. There was so much evil and hatred in them. They almost looked red to him.

"He is here." one of them spotted him standing there.

Chandler started to go back into the bedroom to get to the phone in there, but they got to him and started to drag him out of the room. He fought against them as he saw a length of rope come at him.

Monica grabbed the pizzas and started to walk back down the street towards her apartment as Joey, Rachel, and Phoebe followed her. They were a block away when Ross caught up to them with their parents.

"How are you doing, honey?" Jack asked.

"I'm fine."

"And how's Chandler?" Judy asked.

"He'll probably be better once Schultz is back in custody."

"I think we all will."

"Come on. Let's go to your place." Joey said impatiently.

"You just want the pizza." Rachel looked at him as they started into the building.

The walked up the final flight of stairs and started towards their apartment. Monica stopped in her tracks when she spotted Officer Johnson passed out in the hall.

"Oh my god," Monica gasped.

Officer Marks rushed forward and checked for a pulse.

"It looks like he was chloroformed." he mumbled. "Everyone, stay back while I check out the apartment."

"Chandler's been taken." Monica mumbled.

"You don't know that." Ross held her.

"All clear!" they heard Officer Marks. "Uh-oh."

They all walked into the apartment and saw Officer Marks by the window that led out to the balcony. He was knelt beside a body.

"Chandler," Monica rushed to him. He was passed out with ropes around his hands and tied tightly around his neck. "One of you call Detective Atkins. His card is on the refrigerator."

"I'm on it." Rachel went to the phone.

"Is he ok?" Ross came over with their parents.

"His breathing is a little labored." Officer Marks told them. "It looks like he put up a fight."

They all saw a trail of things leading from Monica's bedroom to where they were. He had obviously tried to use lamps or tables to stop whoever it was from dragging him.

"Now he can breath better." Officer Marks got all the rope off Chandler.

"I'm here." Detective Atkins came in. "I was already on my way. I got a tip that Schultz was in this neighborhood. I was coming to check on Chandler."

"I think he's going to be ok." Officer Marks told him. "Schultz was here. I saw him go down the fire escape as I came in to check the place out."

"Chandler?" Monica took his hand. "You need to wake up."

Chandler could hear people talking above him, but couldn't get himself to wake up. Until he heard a woman's voice. He slowly opened his eyes and saw Detective Atkins and Officer Marks before him. And he could see Monica right behind them.

"Hey. How are you doing?" Detective Atkins asked him.

"I'm ok, I think." his voice came out all raspy.

"The guard will be all right." an EMT came in.

"This is my nephew, Eric. He'll keep everything he sees or hears here under wraps." Detective Atkins told them. "Can you take a look at Chandler, here? He just woke up."

"Sure, thing." he helped Chandler to a sitting position leaning him back against the wall as he examined the rope burns and shone a light in his eyes.

"So what happens now?" Chandler asked Detective Atkins.

"We're going to have to put you under more police protection."

"What do you mean?"

"I think we're going to have to send you to a safe house."

"Just me?"

"Yes." he glanced at Monica. "Can you and your roommate find some place to stay for awhile?"

"Yes."

"Are you sure she shouldn't come with me?" Chandler asked.

"I don't want to scare you, but I think you're the one that Schultz is after."

"Someone should call my parents."

"I already did." Ross came over. "They're on their way."

"Thanks, man."

"Everything looks fine." Eric told them.

"Chandler?" Nora and Charles came in and rushed to him. "Are you ok?"

"I'm all right." he assured them. "They're sending me to a safe house."

"I'm going to tell everyone what's going on." Monica walked over to where her parents were to give them some room.

"You guys are going to a safe house?" Rachel asked her.

"Just Chandler. They think he's in more danger. But he wants us to find someplace else to stay; just in case."

"You can come stay with us," Jack told her. "That way we know that you're safe."

"Ok."

"You can stay with me, Rach." Phoebe told her.

"Should I stay somewhere else too?" Joey asked. "Since I live right across the hall."

"I think that would be best." Detective Atkins told them. "I'm going to go set everything up. Chandler, I'll meet you downstairs at the coffee house in about an hour."

"Ok." he called to him as he talked with his parents. "Can you guys do me a favor while I'm gone?"

"Of course, son." Charles told him.

"Detective Atkins doesn't think Monica's in any danger, but I'm not convinced. Can you check in with her while I'm gone?"

"You got it, honey." Nora assured him. "Don't worry about Monica."

"Thanks." he slowly stood up. "I guess I should pack."

Monica followed him out and went with him into his room as he pulled out a duffel bag and started filling it. He looked at her as she just sat on the edge of his bed and just watched him.

"It'll be ok." he assured her. "I'll be back before you know it."

"But he got to you before."

"This time I'll be under more police protection. And he's somewhere close. Which means that they're probably really close to catching him."

"I guess." she sighed. "I wish this was all over."

"It will be really soon." he sat down beside her and they held each other.

**AN: **So what'd you guys think of this chapter? The next few chapters will be a bit more climactic. Please R&R. Tell me what you think.


	13. Chapter 13

**AN: **I know it's been awhile since I posted a chapter for this story. I've been busy with one of my other stories, My Life. It's another Friends one. I'm thinking about starting a story for the Studio 60 board, too. I'd like to thank all the new reviewers that have been leaving me comments on this story recently. So I hope you all enjoy this latest chapter. Please R & R.

**Disclaimer: **I own no one. They all belong to Bright/Kauffman/Crane.

**Chapter 13**

They were all gathered on the sidewalk in front of Central Perk as the police van pulled up to the curb. They all said their good byes to Chandler and he slowly climbed into the back with Officer Johnson. Chandler waved to them as it started to pull away. They all waved back to him until the van disappeared around the corner.

"It'll be ok." Ross held Monica. "He'll be safe now."

"I can't believe he's gone, you know?" she whispered.

"He'll be back before you know it." Phoebe assured her.

"We'd better go pack." Rachel told her.

Joey had decided that instead of staying with his parents in Queens, he would go with Monica to her parents' house and stay with them. It was a promise that he had secretly made to Chandler while they were all saying good bye to him.

Monica, Rachel, and Joey went to pack up a couple bags for themselves and came back down to everyone else. Rachel went with Phoebe in her cab. Ross followed his parents with Monica and Joey to their car and they all went their separate ways, promising to call each other later that night to check in.

Chandler sat staring glumly out of the van window. He already missed Monica so much. Officer Johnson sat beside him as they drove on in silence.

"We're almost to the switch point." Officer Johnson said.

"Switch point?" Chandler looked at him.

"We'll be switching cars."

"I think we're being followed." The driver glanced in the rear view mirror.

"It's Schultz." Chandler turned around to look.

"It's not just him." Johnson saw the car full of guys.

"They were all at the apartment."

"Get down." he pushed Chandler to the floor of the van. "Stay down there until we tell you it's safe."

"Ok." Chandler braced himself as they were forced off the road and the gunfire started.

Monica lay on the couch at her parents' house as Joey sat beside her flipping through the channels on the TV. Her parents were in the kitchen making them some supper, but Monica didn't feel like eating. The doorbell rang and Ross, Rachel, and Phoebe came in with Chandler's parents.

"What's going on?" Monica sat up.

"Detective Atkins is on his way here." Nora said. "He has an update for us on Chandler."

"He's probably just going to tell us that he got to the safe house all right."

"I wish that was why I was here." Detective Atkins came in with Jack and Judy. "Chandler never made it to the safe house."

"What do you mean?" Charles asked.

"We had a switch point set up so they could switch vehicles. They were forced off the road before they reached it." Detective Atkins explained to them. "Officer Johnson called and told me there were shots fired."

"Oh my god," Rachel gasped.

"Chandler wasn't hurt by any of it. Johnson pushed him to the floor of the van when they realized they were being followed. The good news is that all of Schultz's associates were taken out by Johnson and the driver."

"And the bad news?" Ross asked, sensing that there was bad news.

"The bad news is that, in the confusion, Schultz was able to escape. Taking Chandler with him, according to Johnson."

"Oh no." Monica mumbled and Rachel and Phoebe went to her and held her.

"I promise you all that I will do everything in my power to bring Chandler back to you." Detective Atkins told them as his phone started to ring. "I have to take this. I'll be right back."

"I can't believe this is happening again." Nora sighed. "It's like he's nine-years-old again."

"He will be found." Charles assured her. "I trust the detective. So does Chandler."

"I have to go." Detective Atkins came back to them. "I got a possible lead. I will keep you all updated."

"Thank you." Monica said softly.

"Why don't I make us all some tea?" Judy suggested.

"I don't want any."

"Why don't we have something to eat? There's plenty for everyone."

"I'm not hungry."

"Why don't we take you to lay down." Phoebe suggested and her and Rachel took her upstairs to the guest room. "It's going to be ok, Mon. Chandler will be coming back."

"I know." she sighed as she lay down. "I just feel nauseous thinking about what could be happening to Chandler at this very moment."

"Don't think about it." Rachel told her. "Think about what all you and Chandler will do once he comes home again."

"I guess." she sighed. "I think I should try sleeping."

"We'll stay here tonight just in case."

"Thank you." she said softly as they left her alone and she turned onto her side and tried to sleep.

**AN: **So there's another chapter for all of you guys. Hope you liked it. By the way, Chandler probably won't be in this story for the next few chapters until he's found. But there is still going to be a lot of drama and climactic parts in it. So please R & R.


	14. Chapter 14

**AN: **So I felt bad that I haven't posted a chapter for this in a few weeks. There's been a lot of drama going on at work. Long story short, I almost go fired because of a co-worker who constantly tried to start things for other people. Anyway, I wanted to post this chapter for you guys. Sorry it's so short. Please R&R.

**Disclaimer: **I own no one. They all belong to Bright/Kauffman/Crane.

**Chapter 14**

Monica slowly awoke one morning when she heard soft knocking on the door. Her eyes opened as Joey came in with a breakfast tray.

"Your mom sent this up." he told her. "She said you didn't eat at all yesterday. Is that true?"

"I didn't feel like eating."

"How about now?"

"What do you have?"

"Eggs and toast with orange juice." he sat beside her. "When Chandler comes back and he finds out that you haven't taken care of yourself, he'll never forgive himself or me. He made me promise him that I would take care of you until he got back."

"I just feel nauseous all the time."

"Mon, do you feel sick because of what's happening to Chandler?" he looked her right in the eyes. "Or is there something else?"

"I can't…I can't face it. I don't want to. Not yet." she mumbled.

"Is there a possibility?"

"Maybe."

"Do you want me to go ask Rachel and Phoebe to pick something up for you?" he looked at her.

"Ok." she said softly. "But don't tell anyone else."

"All right. Just try to eat something." he walked out of the room and she slowly started to eat.

Fifteen minutes later, Rachel and Phoebe came in and handed Monica a paper bag from the pharmacy. She opened it and took out the pregnancy test and looked at them.

"I can't believe I'm doing this without Chandler." she sighed.

"Chandler would be no help to you right now." Rachel told her.

"He would be freaking out right now." Phoebe added.

"Probably." she slowly walked to the bathroom and closed the door behind her as Rachel and Phoebe waited for her on the bed.

Monica came out a little bit later and they looked up at her as she sat down beside them.

"It'll be a few minutes before I know." she told them as there came a knock on the door.

"Hey." Ross stuck his head in. "Detective Atkins is here."

They all walked downstairs and saw everyone else in the living room as Detective Atkins held a thick folder in his hands along with a videotape.

"I'm sorry to tell you that there's no update on the whereabouts on Chandler," he told them. "But I found something you should all see."

"What is it?" Nora asked.

"We got a search warrant for Schultz's parents' house. We thought maybe it would give us some clues to where he was taking Chandler. It didn't, but we did find this." he handed the folder to Nora and Charles.

"What is all this?"

"Apparently, Schultz kept surveillance on all his victims before he kidnapped them. This is the file he kept on Chandler."

"And the videotape?" Charles asked.

"He filmed him while he was torturing Chandler, I think. I haven't watched it. This is for you to do with whatever you want." Detective Atkins walked out of the room as his phone rang.

"Oh my god," they flipped through it. "He knew every move he made."

They all crowded around and flipped through all the pictures of Chandler when he was a kid. There was a daily log as well that chronicled his every move.

"I just got a call about a possible lead on Chandler," Detective Atkins came back into them. "Someone called into the station saying that they saw a car matching the description we gave to the public. The license plate number they gave matches the one Officer Johnson told me."

"You found Chandler?" Monica asked.

"I don't want to get your hopes up. It could be a false alarm. It was nearly fifty miles from here. But I'll let you know." he walked out of the house.

"Mon, let's go upstairs and let the Bing's have a few minutes." Phoebe gave her a look and she went up with her and Rachel.

"Go on and look." Rachel nudged her towards the bathroom. "We'll be waiting right out here."

"Ok." she slowly walked into the bathroom. It was quiet for a little while, then she slowly came out and showed them the test.

"Oh my god," Phoebe gasped. "You're pregnant."

**AN:** So there's another chapter for you guys. Again, I'm sorry it's so short. But please R&R.


	15. Chapter 15

**AN: **Here's another chapter for you guys. Twice in a week. I'm so proud of myself. So tell me what you guys think. Please R&R.

**Disclaimer: **I own no one. They all belong to Bright/Kauffman/Crane.

**Chapter 15**

They were all finishing up lunch when Joey started flipping through the channels on TV. There wasn't anything good on, but he found a live car chase on. His eyes widened when he recognized one of the cars.

"Oh my god," Joey yelled. "You guys, get in here!"

"What's going on?" Jack and Judy joined them as everyone filed in around the TV.

"Look," Joey pointed to the TV screen and they saw a police chase.

"Isn't that Detective Atkins' car?"

"They're chasing Leonard Schultz." Joey told them.

"What?" Monica gasped. "Is Chandler in the car?"

"I can't tell."

"They're heading towards the bay." Nora exclaimed and they all watched in horror as the car crashed through the guard rail into the water below.

"Did they just-"

"I'll call the detective." Charles took out his phone.

"It doesn't mean that he was in the car." Ross went to Monica and held her tightly. "Chandler will be back with us soon."

"Chandler was in the car." Charles came back to them as he hung up his phone. "They're sending the dive team down to find them. But there's no reason to believe that he won't get out."

"I think I need to lay down." Monica left the room.

"I'll go with her." Nora followed her up the stairs and found her laying on her side on the bed in the guestroom. "Chandler will come back. We have to believe that."

"I know." She whispered. "It's just-I don't know if I can do this by myself."

"Do what by yourself?" she sat down beside her.

"I'm pregnant." Monica turned to look at her. "I just found out."

"This is a good thing." Nora held her. "Chandler will be happy once he hears. I promise you."

"I know." she said softly.

All that day, they all waited anxiously on any news on Chandler or Schultz. Monica was nauseous just thinking about it. Or it could be because of another reason. She hadn't told her parents or Ross about the pregnancy yet. But everyone else knew.

The doorbell rang and Ross went to answer it. He came back in followed by Detective Atkins. They couldn't tell by his face whether or not he had good news or bad news.

"Hello, everyone." he greeted them. "Well, Schultz is dead. He drowned. But we had to call off the search for Chandler."

"What?" Charles stood up. "You gave up on finding my son?"

"No. We were wrong. Chandler was never in the car when it went off the bridge. He's still out there somewhere."

"Then what happened to him?" Joey demanded.

"An eyewitness came forward. He witnessed what happened the day that Chandler left for the safe house."

"What'd he see?" Nora asked.

"He saw Chandler being pulled from the van by Schultz. But Chandler fought against him. He was able to break free of him and took off. But the witness didn't see which way he headed because Schultz spotted him so he took off as well."

"But he's sure that Chandler got out?" Phoebe asked.

"He's sure. We just have to find where he went to hide."

"I'll get that." Jack said as the doorbell rang again.

"Detective," Officer Johnson came in. "Sorry to bother you all, but I think we have a lead on Chandler's whereabouts."

"What do you mean?"

"Someone matching Chandler's description came into the emergency room. I haven't confirmed it yet because they had to take him into surgery."

"Surgery for what?"

"He was stabbed somehow."

"Ok." he turned back to the others. "I will go with Johnson to check it out. Once they get out of surgery, I will confirm whether or not it's Chandler and give you all a call."

"As soon as possible, please." Rachel told him.

"Of course." he followed Officer Johnson out of the house and they all turned to look at each other.

"This is good news." Judy assured them all.

"It might not even be him." Monica mumbled.

"I mean that it's good news that he wasn't in the car."

"Your mother is right." Jack told them. "It means that he can be perfectly fine right now and is trying to get back to all of you."

"They're right, Mon." Joey went to her. "I think everything will work out."

"I want to believe that." she whispered. "I really do."

**AN: **So there's another chapter for you guys. Sorry the last couple of chapters have been so short. I'll try to make the next ones a little longer. Please R&R.


	16. Chapter 16

**AN: **Another chapter! Yay for me! Tell me what you all think. Please R&R.

**Disclaimer: **I own no one. They all belong to Bright/Kauffman/Crane.

**Chapter 16**

Detective Atkins followed the doctor and nurse down the hall into the recovery room. They led him in and he slowly walked to the motionless body that was on the bed. He sighed with relief when he recognized the face of Chandler.

"Oh, thank god." he looked at the doctor. "It's him. Is he up to talking?"

"He's still groggy from the surgery, so don't be long."

"Chandler, it's me. Detective Atkins. Can you hear me?"

Chandler slowly resurfaced as he heard someone call his name. He slowly opened his eyes and saw detective Atkins standing over him and smiling at him.

"You really scared us, you know." he told him.

"Am I ok?" he whispered.

"The doctor says you're going to be fine."

"How's everyone else?"

"Worried about you." he took out his phone. "Let's call them."

Monica was slowly eating a salad as she sat beside Joey at the table. None of them were eating really, too anxious to find out if the person at the hospital was indeed Chandler. The phone rang and they all looked towards it.

"I got it." Phoebe picked it up. "Hello? No, they left a while ago. Yes, she's here. Monica, it's Detective Atkins. Says he needs to tell you something."

"Hello?" she slowly took the phone. "Hello? Detective Atkins? Are you there? Oh my God. Chandler?"

"What?" they all looked at her as she started to cry.

"Chandler? Are you ok? No. You just rest. We'll all be there tomorrow morning. Ok. Bye."

"He's ok?" Joey asked.

"He just got out of surgery, so he was a little out of it. But he sounded ok."

"Thank god." Ross sighed.

"What's happened?" Nora and Charles came in. "Did you find anything out about Chandler?"

"It's him at the hospital." Rachel told them. "Monica just talked to him."

"How'd he sound?" Nora asked.

"He was really out of it." Monica told them. "He had just gotten out of surgery. I told him we'd all be there tomorrow morning."

"Thank god." Charles sighed. "Maybe this will all be over now."

The next morning, they all arrived at the hospital not long after visiting hours started. None of them got much sleep last night, anxious to come see Chandler after not seeing him for what seemed like ages. They all got to the waiting room and saw Detective Atkins coming down the hall towards them.

"I figured all of you would be here early." he smiled at them.

"How's he doing?" Charles asked.

"The doctor says he's recovering well. There won't be any long-term effects of this. He should be able to go home in a few days."

"So did he tell you what happened?" Nora asked.

"I just got done taking his statement." he told them. "How he was able to survive for so long with a stab wound, I'll never know."

"So what happened after he escaped from Schultz?"

"Well, he didn't know exactly where he was, but he tried to escape him as fast as he could. He fell down the embankment and passed out for awhile."  
"So how'd he get stabbed?" Monica asked.

"He thinks he fell into the guard rail where it was broken. He stumbled his way into town the next couple of days. Finally made it to a motel, where the night manager found him passed out in the lobby."

"He's definitely been through a lot." Jack told them.

"You guys might want to go visit with him now. He's been refusing the pain medication that the nurse offered him."

"Why is he doing that?" Ross asked.

"The medication knocks him out. He wanted to wait until he saw all of you before he accepted it."

"Come on. Let's go see him." they all stood up and walked down the hall towards Chandler's room.

Nora and Charles went in to see Chandler first. They insisted that Monica come in with them. They slowly walked into his room and approached the bed. His eyes were closed, but they could see the pain he was in. There was a breathing tube in his nose and an IV in the back of his hand.

"Chandler?" Nora asked softly.

"Son, can you hear us?" Charles asked.

"Hey," he smiled at them as his eyes slowly opened.

"It is so good to see you." Nora smiled back at him. "We were all worried."

"I'm ok." he slowly turned his head and spotted the other person in the room and smiled widely. "Mon?"

"Hey." she went to him and took his hand. "I'm so glad you're ok."

"Your friends want to see you, too." Charles told him.

"Send them in." he sat up a little as he winced.

"Take it easy." Monica told him.

"Hey," the other four came in.

"We're so glad that you're all right." Phoebe told him.

"How are you feeling?" Rachel asked.

"Pins and needles right now." he started moaning.

"Take the pain medication." Nora told him as Charles went out to get the nurse. "We will all be here for awhile. So get some sleep."

"Ok." he said softly.

"Here we go, Mr. Bing." a nurse came in and injected something into his IV.

"We'll be here when you wake up." Joey told him and he nodded as he drifted off to sleep.

**AN: **So there's the next chapter. What did you think of it. Please R&R.


	17. Chapter 17

**AN: **Here's another chapter for you guys. Hope you like it. Please R&R.

**Disclaimer: **I own no one. They all belong to Bright/Kauffman/Crane.

**Chapter 17**

Monica sat in the waiting room with just her parents and Ross. She was trying to tell them that she was pregnant, but couldn't get the words out. She finally blurted it out and they all looked at her shocked.

"You're pregnant?" Jack asked.

"Yes." she told him.

"With Chandler's baby?" Judy asked.

"Yes."

"Does he know yet?" Ross asked.

"No. I'm going to tell him when he wakes up."

"It's not the ideal way-" Judy started.

"Neither was the way I had Ben." Ross told them. "But that works fine. I'm happy for you both."

"Really?" Monica looked at him.

"Yes." he hugged her. "I think Chandler will be happy, too."

"You don't think he'll freak out?"

"Maybe at first. But he'll be happy."

"I'm going to go see if he's awake yet." Monica stood up and walked down the hall to Chandler's room.

She walked into his room and saw the nurse just finishing changing his bandages and checking his IV. The nurse walked out and she went to the bed and took his hand.

"Chandler, are you awake?" she asked softly.

"Hey," his eyes slowly opened.

"How'd you sleep?"

"Good." he adjusted the bed so he could be more upright. "So what's up?"

"What do you mean?"

"You look like you have some kind of news. Is it good or bad?"

"I think it's good. It affects both of us."

"Are you-pregnant?"

"How'd you know?"

"Just the way you're acting. Did you just find out?"

"Joey actually figured it out. He had Phoebe and Rachel go and get a test and I took it."

"You want the baby?" he looked at her. "Even though it wasn't planned?"

"Yes."

"So do I." he smiled at her.

"Really?"

"You thought I would freak out?"

"A little."

"I thought I would, too. If this ever happened. But I'm looking forward to this. I feel at peace right now."

"Because you don't have to worry about Schultz anymore?"

"Yeah." his smile suddenly went away. "My parents told me about the surveillance file that Detective Atkins found. And the tape."

"We haven't seen what's on the tape. I'm not sure if your parents have watched it or not."

"They haven't yet. They asked me if I wanted to see what's on it. They would watch it with me."

"Have you decided yet?"

"No. I called Dr. Williams and asked him to come by today so I could talk to him. I want to be hypnotized again."

"What? Are you sure?"

"I don't want my memories to just come back to me in time. I want to remember everything so I can deal with them."

"It's your decision. But I will be here with you just like all the other times."

"I want my parents and our friends to be here, too. I'm ready for them to know everything."

"Ok." she sat beside him on the edge of the bed and he wrapped his arms around her and held her tightly.

A half hour later, the others came in to see them talking quietly to each other. They looked up and smiled at them.

"I'm just so glad that you're ok." Rachel went to give him a hug.

"We all thought that you were in that car when it went into the water." Joey told him softly.

"I'm sorry you all had to go through that." Chandler said quietly.

"You're fine now. That's all that matters." Phoebe gave him a hug as well.

"I take it that you told him the big news." Ross looked at Monica.

"Yes. He knows about the baby." Monica told them. "And he's very happy about it."

"How did your parents take it?" Chandler asked.

"Like they take everything else." Monica told him.

"So they're going to come in here soon and start asking about my intentions."

"Probably." she sighed.

There came a light knock on the door and it slowly opened and Chandler smiled as Dr. Williams came into them.

"Chandler, I'm so glad you're all right." he walked to the bed.

"Hey, Dr. Williams." Chandler smiled at him. "These are our friends."

"Nice to meet you all."

"We'll wait out in the hall while you talk." Ross said and the other three followed him, shutting the door behind them.

"So the doctor says you're going to be fine." Dr. Williams sat in one of the chairs by the bed. "So what did you want to talk to me about, Chandler?"

"I want to be hypnotized again," he sat up a little more. "I don't want it to all just come back to me in time. I want to remember it all now. And I want my parents and friends to be there."

"You've thought all this through?" Dr. Williams looked at them.

"Yes."

"Ok. There's another facility that I sometimes practice at. We can do it there. Your friends can sit behind a two-way mirror and watch."

"So when can we do it?" Chandler asked.

"As soon as you get a clean bill of health from your doctor. And you're going to need to be completely healed before we do this."

"Ok." Chandler nodded.

"Now is there anything else?"

"Yeah." He glanced at Monica. "There was a videotape in a surveillance file that Schultz kept on me-"

"Yes, I heard about that."

"I'd like to see what's on the tape."

"What?" Monica looked at him. "Are you sure?"

"I'm sure." He took her hand. "I want you and my parents to watch it with me if you think you can handle it."

"I'll stay here with you." She assured him.

"And I want you to be present as well, Dr. Williams." He looked at him.

"Ok. When should we do this?" Dr. Williams asked him.

"Now before I lose my nerve." Chandler looked at Monica. "Is that ok?"

"I'll go find your parents," Monica walked out of the room and down the hall to the waiting room.

"Are you really sure about this?" Dr. Williams looked at Chandler.

"Not totally," he sighed. "But I need to know what happened back then."

"Chandler," Nora and Charles came in with Monica. "Are you sure about this?"

"Positive."

"Ok. Here we are." Charles took out the tape and put it in the VCR that was in the room.

Chandler adjusted the bed so that he was sitting up more and Monica sat beside him and took his hand in both of hers.

"You have a weak stomach right now," Chandler looked at her. "So if there's anything you see that you can't handle, I want you to leave."

"I'm with you every step of the way." She assured him.

"Ok. Here we go." Dr. Williams picked up the remote and pressed play.

**AN: **So what did you guys think? I know some of you might not believe that Chandler would be so calm when he finds out that he's going to be a dad, but like he said in the story, he's at peace now that he feels like he doesn't have to worry about Schultz anymore. So please R&R.


	18. Chapter 18

**AN: **It's been awhile since I posted a chapter to this. I think I'm managing too many stories at once. But I think this story is almost done. Just a few more chapters including the epilogue. Tell me what you all think of this chapter because I'm not really sure about it. Reviews make me happy!

**Disclaimer: **I own no one. They all belong to Bright/Kauffman/Crane.**  
**

**Chapter 18**

"Here we go everyone." Dr. Williams pressed play on the remote and the tape started to play.

The screen was pitch black at first, and then it showed a playground with a bunch of little kids running around.

"What is this?" Monica asked them.

"Isn't that the park we took him to when he was little?" Charles looked at Nora.

"Yes, it is." Nora told him. "That's him on the swings."

"I know when that was," Chandler said softly. "That's the day you guys told me you were getting a divorce."

They all watched as the nine-year-old Chandler on the tape slowly swung back and forth as all the other kids played all around him. A woman appeared on the screen and started talking to him. He nodded and slowly got off the swing and took her hand and walked away from the park.

"Who is that?" Monica asked.

"My nanny when I was younger." Chandler told her.

"This isn't that bad," Charles said. "It's just surveillance."

"Uh-oh." Nora said as the screen went to a different scene. It was really dark and showed a bedroom with a small figure in it.

"Mom?" Nine-year-old Chandler slowly looked toward the door, and then he screamed loudly.

The next thing they saw was nine-year-old Chandler lying motionless on a metal-framed bed. Someone came onto the screen that they all recognized as Schultz.

"Oh no," Nora gasped as Schultz got on the bed.

Both Monica and Chandler looked away from the TV screen and held each other. Monica looked at Chandler as he started hyperventilating.

"Turn it off," Charles said as he rushed out of the room to get a doctor as Monica tried to calm down Chandler.

"It's ok." Monica held him as Charles returned with the doctor.

"Mr. Bing," the doctor came in. "I'm going to have to sedate you."

Monica got off the bed and watched as the doctor injected something into Chandler's IV. He calmed down instantly and fell into a deep sleep.

"I think I'm going to go now," Dr. Williams told them. "But I wouldn't recommend having him watch the rest of the tape."

"Believe me, I'll be destroying it." Charles told him as he walked out.

"We may as well leave him." Nora looked at Monica. "He'll be sleeping for awhile."

"Ok." Monica said softly as she followed them out. She spotted their friends at the end of the hall in the waiting room. "I need to go to the bathroom first."

"I'll tell your friends." Nora told her. "We're probably going to leave, but we'll be back tomorrow."

"Ok." Monica watched them walk away and she went to find the nearest bathroom.

The other four were sitting restlessly in the waiting room down the hall from Chandler's hospital room. Dr. Williams had arrived almost an hour ago and they were all still in with Chandler.

"Uh-oh." Joey sat up as he saw Charles rush out of the room and go to the nurse's desk. "Something is going on."

"I have a bad feeling," Phoebe said as they all watched Chandler's doctor follow Charles back into Chandler's room.

A few minutes later, Dr. Williams came out of the room and walked past them out the exit doors. Then they saw Monica come out of Chandler's room with his parents. They talked briefly, then Monica walked down the hall towards the bathrooms, and his parents walked towards them.

"We're going to leave now," Nora told them. "We'll be back tomorrow. Monica will be out to see you in a few minutes."

They all watched them leave as well and Monica came out to them and slowly sat in the chair beside Rachel.

"What happened, Mon?" Rachel looked at her. "Is Chandler ok?"

"They had to give him a sedative to calm him down." Monica told them.

"Was the tape really that bad?" Ross asked.

"Worse," she sighed. "We didn't even finish watching the tape."

"How bad was it?" Phoebe asked.

"I don't think I should tell you guys. He can tell you if he wants to."

Chandler tried to fight against the images that were trying to play in his head. He struggled hard to break through the fog as he heard someone calling his name softly.

Monica awoke as she heard the sounds of someone struggling. She sat up on the chair she had been using and saw Chandler tossing and turning on the bed. She took a hold of his hand and tried to wake him up.

"Chandler, honey, wake up." His eyes slowly flickered open and he realized he was lying on his side as Monica stood beside the hospital bed. "Are you ok?"

"That really happened, didn't it?" he looked at her. "We watched the tape and-"

"Don't think about it," she ran her fingers through his hair. "I'm pretty sure your dad took the tape and destroyed it. Dr. Williams doesn't think we should let you watch the rest of it."

"I don't want to watch it," he said softly. "But I still want to get hypnotized again."

"I figured you would." She sighed. "I will still be there with you, ok?"

"Thank you." He smiled at her. "Do the others know about the tape?"

"They know we watched it. They don't know what was on it."

"I guess I'll have to tell them."

"You don't have to, you know."

"Yes, I do. Everything needs to be out in the open."

"They'll understand if you don't tell them."

"I know they will. I won't."

"I guess I can't talk you out of this."

"Nope." He smiled at her.

"Then I support you one hundred percent." She kissed him deeply. "I will be here beside you."

"I know. I appreciate you trying to help me through this." He looked at her. "But you need to take care of yourself, too. Have you had any prenatal appointments?"

"I have my first one tomorrow afternoon. Do you think you'll be able to go to it with me?"

"I think I can." He mumbled as he slowly turned onto his back. "Mon?"

"What is it?"

"Do you see me differently now?"

"What do you mean?"

"I feel so dirty right now, and I guess I think that you'll see me the same way."

"I don't see you any differently." She took his hand and squeezed it tightly. "What happened to you wasn't your fault. You had no control over anything."

"I'm glad you're here for me," he smiled at her. "Just getting everything off my chest has helped me."

"I'll be here as long as you need me," she kissed him softly on the lips. "Feel like getting some more sleep?"

"I'll try," he sighed.

Monica stayed by the bed and ran her fingers through his hair until she heard his gentle breathing. She went back and lay back in the chair by the bed and covered herself with the blanket. Tomorrow Chandler would probably want to tell all their friends about the tape. She wasn't sure about him telling everyone, but it was his choice. It happened to him, not her. The only thing she could do now was try to support his decision.

**AN: **So what'd you all think? The more reviews I get, the faster I get the next chapter out! Please R&R.


	19. Chapter 19

**AN: **So I know it's been a few weeks since I posted on this story, but I finally got the next chapter written. So tell me what you think. Please R&R.

**Disclaimer: **I own no one. They all belong to Bright/Kauffman/Crane.

**Chapter 19**

Chandler lay stretched across the couch in his apartment one afternoon. He had been home from the hospital for three days now. He was healing pretty fast, but was still sore from the stab wound. His friends visited him often, but didn't want to get on his nerves by staying too long. Chandler had told them about the tape and they seemed to take it well. Truthfully, they all assumed that's what was on the tape. Chandler had tried to talk to his parents about the tape, but they both refused to talk about it. Monica assured him that they'd come around.

Chandler had gone to Monica's first prenatal visit with her. She was three months into the pregnancy and they got to hear the heartbeat. They didn't know if they were having a boy or a girl yet, but they weren't sure if they wanted to know.

"Chandler?" the door to the apartment slowly opened and Monica came in. "I'm trying not to hover, but do you need help changing your bandages?"

"Yeah." He slowly sat up. "I was kind of waiting for you to come over so you could help me with it."

"Come on," she got the fresh bandages and ointment from the kitchen counter and followed him into the bathroom.

He unbuttoned his shirt and took it off and laid it on the sink. Monica stood behind him and started to remove the old bandage. They heard the door open again and saw their friends come in.

"That looks gross, dude." Joey told him.

"Thank you so much." He mumbled as Monica started to close the door to the bathroom. "We'll be out in a minute."

"Ok. Here we go." Monica applied the ointment and taped another bandage over the wound. "There. All done."

"How come it doesn't hurt when you do it? But it did whenever the nurse did it at the hospital?"

"I have a special touch." She smiled as he put his shirt back on.

They walked out of the bathroom a few minutes later and saw everyone watching TV. Chandler slowly sat down on the couch and Monica sat beside him.

"How are you doing today?" Phoebe asked.

"Better." He smiled at them. "So you guys look like you have something to say."

"What's going on?" Monica asked them.

"Well, Joey and I were talking," Rachel looked at them. "And if you guys agree, I was thinking that Chandler and I could switch apartments. That would give you a room for the baby when it comes."

"That saves us a conversation," Monica glanced at Chandler. "We were going to ask you guys the same thing in a few days."

"Ok. It's settled then." Joey said as the phone started to ring and he went to answer it. "Yeah. Hold on. Chandler, it's your dad."

"Tell him I'll call him back later." He mumbled.

"You're not talking to him now?" Monica looked at him.

"He doesn't want to talk to me about what I want to talk about, so why should I talk to him at all?"

"Because he's your dad." Ross said.

"You guys, leave it alone." Monica told them. "Let him deal with it on his own."

Chandler was lying on one side of Monica's bed clutching his side. The door opened and Monica came in with his pain pills and a glass of water. He slowly sat up as she went to him.

"These will make you feel better." She told him.

"Thank you." He swallowed a couple pills and lay back down.

"Can we talk about something even though you probably won't want to?" she lay down beside him.

"You mean about my parents?" he looked at her.

"I know you're mad at them right now, but don't shut them out."

"I want to talk about it. Get it out in the open."

"I know." She sighed. "I think maybe they think that you're going to blame them."

"What do you mean?"

"They already blame themselves. They don't want to hear that you blame them as well." She started to slowly run her fingers through his hair. "Your mom blames herself because she never woke up the night you were taken. I can see it in her eyes. And your dad blames himself because he wasn't there to protect you."

"It's neither of their faults," he sighed. "This is why I wanted to talk to them."

"It'll be fine," she took his hand and brought it to her mouth and kissed it. "We'll corner them somehow so you all can talk."

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

A few weeks later, Chandler was completely healed so Dr. Williams set up a session for him to get hypnotized one last time. Chandler and Rachel had switched apartments a couple weeks ago and were settling in to their new places.

Monica came out of her bedroom as she glanced at her watch again as she saw Phoebe, Rachel, and Ross there.

"Hey, Mon. How are you feeling?" Rachel asked her.

"Better than Chandler probably," she sighed. "Is he back yet?"

"No. Where'd he go?" Ross asked.

"Joey came by early this morning and dragged him off to the arcade down the street to get him to relax about today."

The door opened and they all looked and saw Joey coming in.

"Hey. Where's Chandler?" Monica asked him.

"He's waiting for you downstairs," he told her. "He knew everyone would be here, and he didn't want to deal with it."

"I think he's a little overwhelmed today." Monica grabbed her purse and walked to the door. "I'll see you guys in a couple hours."

"Poor Chandler," Rachel sighed. "I wish this was all over for him."

"Maybe it will be soon." Ross told her.

Monica met up with Chandler outside the building and they started down the street to the doctor's office. They signed in and were shown to Dr. Williams' office to wait for him.

"Good morning," Dr. Williams came in. "Are your parents on their way, Chandler?"

"Hopefully," he sighed and Monica took his hand as there was a knock on the door and Nora and Charles came in. "I'm surprised you guys came."

"Chandler," Monica looked at him.

"Are your friends here?" Charles spotted the two-way mirror behind them.

"Not yet." Chandler told him. "My hypnosis appointment is in an hour."

"Then why did you tell us to be here so early?" Nora asked.

"Because we need to settle some things." Chandler told them. "Get things out in the open."

"I don't think I want to hear this." Charles started back towards the door and Nora followed him.

"You guys walk out that door, then don't bother contacting me again."

**AN: **So what'd you all think about this? I only have a few more chapters to add to this. Tell me what you all think. Please R&R. For those of you who want to keep up with the status of my stories, I have a new blog. It's at .com Check it out and subscribe.**  
**


	20. Chapter 20

**Repost.** I'm so sorry everyone. I didn't realize until after it was posted that some of the chapter got cut off. So I'm reposting the full version for you guys. Hopefully you think this is better. Please R&R.

**Disclaimer: **I own no one. They all belong to Bright/Kauffman/Crane.

**Chapter 20**

"What?" Charles stopped and turned around to look at Chandler.

"We need to settle this." Chandler stated. "If you walk out that door now, you won't be involved in my life from this moment forward. You will never know your grandchild."

Monica just looked at Chandler, surprised. She had never heard him talk like that ever. And especially not to his parents. He always bottled things up until everything exploded at the worst possible moment.

"You're serious?" Nora looked at Chandler.

"Yes." Chandler said firmly.

"Ok. I think we all need to calm down." Dr. Williams told them. "Mr. and Mrs. Bing, please sit down. Chandler called and asked me to set this up. And I can see that it would be beneficial to all of you."

Nora and Charles sat across from Chandler and Monica and waited for Dr. Williams to start talking again.

"Chandler, why don't you start?" Dr. Williams looked at him. "I don't want anyone to interrupt him. Just let him talk."

"Ok." Charles looked at Nora.

"Go ahead, Chandler." Dr. Williams told him.

"Mom, Dad, it's not your fault." Chandler looked at them. "It's not your fault that I was kidnapped. I'm sure it would've happened no matter what you guys tried to do to stop it. But we can't let this hold us back anymore."

Rachel, Phoebe, Ross, and Joey slowly got out of the cab and walked into the office building. They signed in their names at the front desk and the receptionist led them down the hall and into a room. They walked in and saw some chairs set up in front of a glass window. They looked through the window and saw Chandler lying across a couch as his parents and Monica sat across from him in some chairs.

"Ok. We can get this started," Dr. Williams was saying. "This session will be a lot different than your other hypnosis sessions, Chandler. You will be in a semi-conscious state. You won't be aware of your current surroundings; you'll be in your memories."

"I know." Chandler said softly.

"And I want to make sure that no matter what he does, you three do not try to touch him or stop it in any way," Dr. Williams looked at Monica and Nora and Charles. "This was Chandler's idea, so we're going to see this to the end."

"We understand," Charles told him and Dr. Williams got out his notes.

"Here we go," Ross mumbled and they all sat in a row and linked hands to give each other comfort and the strength to be there not just for Chandler and Monica, but for each other as well.

Chandler slowly drifted out of the doctor's office and into his childhood bedroom. He was hiding underneath to covers to try to block out the fighting going on down the hall. He shot up in bed when he heard the front door open and slam shut. He scrambled out of bed and rushed to his window and looked down to see his dad putting his luggage into the trunk of his car and drive off.

Next he saw himself lying in his room again. Only this time he was terrified. He closed his eyes tightly as he heard someone come near his bed. He tried to scream out but a cloth covered his face and he passed out.

He awoke in a dark place and felt himself moving and he realized that he was in the trunk of a car. He suddenly felt the car stop and he saw a light as the trunk was opened and he didn't recognize the person standing above him. He struggled harshly against them as he was lifted and taken into a building.

Chandler struggled against the ropes that bound him to the bed frame. He saw him coming towards him and he shut his eyes tightly as he heard the bed springs creak.

Chandler slowly turned the door knob as he tried not to make any noise. He opened the door and looked around and slowly walked outside. He was going to make a run for it when he felt a hand on his shoulder and he was taken back inside the house.

Chandler heard a lot of noise outside the small closet he had been forced to live in for the last few weeks. There was a lot of shouting and the door was opened and he saw a police officer standing above him. He was picked up and taken out to a squad car and taken to the local hospital.

Chandler slowly followed the officer down the airport terminal through the maze of reporters and TV cameras. The deputy took Chandler's hand and got him past all the bright lights and microphones being shoved in front of his face. They reached the visitor lounge and Chandler smiled at his parents waiting for him there. He ran to them and they hugged him tightly as his dad lifted him into his arms.

Chandler sat in the courtroom in between his parents as they waited for him to be called up to testify. The prosecutor called his name and the bailiff took him to the stand as Schultz was escorted out of the room. He barely listened as the judge told everyone that the witness was not to be cross examined.

Chandler ran down the school hallway and hid in the boys' bathroom to get away from all the taunting. He stayed there until he heard the dismissal bell and he ran out the front doors and into the open door of his mom's car.

He breathed a sigh of relief as he finally reached his new boarding school. He found his room and started unpacking as he met his new roommate and got settled.

Chandler reached his dorm room and saw a curly haired kid already there and unpacking all his stuff. They started a conversation about something pointless as they headed towards the common room to meet the other new students at orientation.

He was finally on his own. He finally felt at home. He had his own apartment with a roommate; Ross lived nearby and came by often because his sister lived across from where he lived.

Chandler couldn't believe this was happening again. He was taken away from everyone he loved again. He couldn't put his parents through this again. And he certainly didn't want to put Monica through this. So when he saw an opportunity, he took it. He ran as fast as he could as he heard Schultz coming after him. He glanced behind him, but lost his balance as he fell into the guard rail and slid down the embankment. He felt pain in his stomach and looked down and saw blood spreading on his stomach. He had to get to safety. He had to make it back to Monica.

Chandler drifted back from the haziness as he heard a familiar voice. He opened his eyes and saw Monica standing beside his bed. She told him the best news that he could ever hear. He could see himself being happy with Monica and their baby.

Monica watched helplessly with Chandler's parents as he relived the most horrific times in his childhood. Nora squeezed her hand tightly as he went through all the emotions of being kidnapped, held captive, and violated in ways that they could never imagine. He finally calmed down and slowly opened his eyes.

"Chandler?" Dr. Williams sat up. "Are you ok? How are you feeling?"

"I'm ok." He said softly. "I feel better actually."

"Are you sure?" Charles got up from his chair and went to him.

"Yeah." He gave them all a small smile as Monica sat down beside him. "I finally know everything that happened. It's still going to be a part of me, but at least I know what's real and what I imagined to be real."

"So are you ready to put all this behind you?" Nora asked him.

"Yeah. I don't want this to hold me back."

"I know you're ready to put all this behind you, but I'm afraid that it's not going to be as easy as you think." Dr. Williams told him.

"I'm well aware of that." Chandler said.

"And you have me to try to help you." Monica held his hand tightly.

"You have us, too." Nora told him.

"And us." The door opened and their friends came in.

Chandler smiled at all of them. He couldn't believe that he had such great friends. After everything that they had already done, he couldn't believe that they were so willing to help him more than they already had.

**AN: **So hopefully you guys thought this version was better. Still writing the epilogue. Should be posting it sometime this week. Please R&R.


	21. Epilogue

**AN: **Here's the epilogue and that means that I can concentrate on my other stories. In case you guys didn't get an alert, I reposted the last chapter because when I posted it the first time, it didn't post all of it. So it's a much better version. Please R&R.

**Disclaimer:** I own no one. They all belong to Bright/Kauffman/Crane.

**Epilogue**

Monica turned over in bed and smiled when she saw Chandler sound asleep beside her. She took her hand and started running her fingers through his hair. His eyes slowly opened and he smiled at her.

"Hey," she smiled at him. "Good morning."

"Morning," he slowly sat up. "Are they up yet?"

"Not yet." She said as they heard loud noises down the hall. "Now they are."

"Mommy, Daddy," their door opened and two of their kids came in.

"Santa came. Let's go." Six-year-old Ryan told them as he climbed up onto the bed with three-year-old Katie. "Can we go down yet?"

"You can get your stockings down for now." Chandler told them. "You need to wait until Caleb is up."

"And there he is." Monica sighed as they heard a cry through the baby monitor.

"I'll get him," Chandler said as they all got off the bed.

"I'll try to keep them calm until you come down." Monica took them downstairs as Chandler walked into their one-year-olds room.

Monica got down the stockings and they dumped the contents on the floor.

"Just the stockings. Don't go near the presents yet." Monica told them. "I'll make up some cinnamon rolls for breakfast."

Monica smiled at them as she went into the kitchen. Things were really good for her and Chandler. After that last hypnosis session, it seemed as if Chandler was a much better person. It wasn't as easy as he thought it would be for him to move on from it. It would always be with him, but he eventually learned to accept that.

A couple months after the last hypnosis session, Chandler received a hand-written letter in the mail. The return address said it was Schultz's parents; they were requesting a meeting with him. After much discussion with Monica, he decided to meet with them in a public place with Monica and both his parents. Unbeknownst to them, their friends tagged along and hid at a nearby table just in case. Schultz's parents told them that they weren't there to defend anything that their son did, but that they were sorry for what he went through at his hands. Although he would never forget what had happened, Chandler forgave not only them but Schultz as well. And he started the long road to recovery with the help of his parents and all his friends.

Chandler hardly thought about that time in his life anymore. There were occasional nightmares every so often, but not as much and as bad as they used to be. He still went to therapy with Dr. Williams once a week and he also talked a lot with Monica. It was mostly Monica listening while Chandler got everything off his chest. But it made their relationship stronger and much better.

A few months after Ryan was born, Chandler and Monica were married. It was a small ceremony with just family and their friends. And they settled into their new and happy married life. When Monica found out she was pregnant with Katie, they decided to move out of the city and purchased a house.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Chandler came downstairs with Caleb in his arms and smiled at the other two going through the contents of their stockings. He got Caleb's stocking down and sat on the couch with him as he helped him get everything out of it.

"There you are," Monica came in to them. "So should we get this started?"

"Bring on the madness," he gave her Caleb. "Ok, rug rats. We're starting now."

"Yay!" they rushed to sit on the couch beside Monica as Chandler went into the room that was his office.

"Big presents," Chandler pushed out two presents that were covered with sheets.

Ryan and Katie ran to them and pulled the sheets off them. Ryan jumped on his new first big bike and Katie got in her new pink Barbie jeep. Then Chandler brought out the other present he had hidden in his office.

"This one is for all of you," he showed them the small furry thing poking its head out of the basket.

"A kitty," they went to it as Chandler put it on the couch by Caleb.

"And you're all going to take care of it, right?" he looked at all of them.

"Yeah." They all started petting it.

An hour later, Chandler was putting batteries into all the new toys as Monica cleaned up and started on their Christmas dinner. The doorbell rang and Monica went to let in all their friends.

"Hey. How was your guys' morning?" Rachel came in with Ross and their five-year-old daughter, Emma. Phoebe and her husband, Mike came in next with their two-year-old daughter, Sophie. Behind them was Joey with his fiancé, Alex.

"Our morning was chaos," Monica told them as a remote control car came into them and a few moments later, Ryan followed it.

"It works, dad!" he called as he spotted everyone there. "Sissy, Emma and Sophie are here!"

"Looks like Santa spoiled them again this year," Ross said as Katie came in riding her jeep.

"Where's Chandler?" Phoebe asked.

"Putting batteries into the toys that need them, and opening all the packages." Monica said as Sophie got into the jeep beside Katie and Emma sat in the back.

"Be careful, you three." Rachel told them as Katie drove them into the living room and Ryan followed behind them.

Chandler was getting the package of wooden blocks out for Caleb when all the kids came back in. He smiled as Emma and Sophie went to Katie's new doll house.

"Everyone is here, dad." Ryan told him.

"Hey, buddy." Joey and Ross came in. "Man, they got a lot of loot."

"I know. We spoil them." Chandler smiled at them. "But it keeps them happy. For a few days at least."

"Ok, everyone. Dinner is ready." Monica called and they all went into the kitchen. Chandler came in with Caleb and put him in the high chair.

All of the kids were sitting at a smaller table as their parents got them some plates with a bit of food on them. All of the adults sat at the table and passed all the food around.

Chandler glanced at Monica as she took his hand and they smiled at each other. He thought back to what all he had been through. In a weird way, he was glad that everything had happened the way it did. If it hadn't, he wouldn't have gotten close to Monica. And they wouldn't have Ryan, Katie, and Caleb. And he wouldn't trade any of them for anything in the world.

The events of his childhood would always be with him; he accepted that. But now thanks to his friends and his family, he could try to move past it while knowing that it would always be with him. But he still had his friends and Monica to help him if he needed it.

He would be fine.

THE END

**AN: **So that's the end. I'm glad I finally finished it. Tell me what you all think. Please R&R.


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